Alexei Navalny on Ukraine

Alexei Navalny’s view on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity presented a complex and evolving narrative, often criticized by Ukrainians for imperialist undertones. Early in his political career, he subscribed to the idea of Russians and Ukrainians being effectively one people, a concept shared with the current Russian president and used to justify aggression. His most notorious statement regarding Crimea was calling the annexed peninsula 'not some sort of sausage sandwich to be passed back and forth,' which deeply alienated Ukrainian observers. He also previously supported Russia's 2008 invasion of Georgia and made derogatory comments about Ukrainians.

However, during the full-scale invasion, Navalny condemned the war as an unjust act of aggression by the president, and from prison, he stated that Russia must recognize Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders as established in 1991, including Crimea. Furthermore, he advocated that Russia should pay reparations for the damage caused to Ukraine. This later stance, which appeared in a manifesto, was viewed by some as an adaptation or clarification, though many Ukrainians felt it was 'too little, too late' given his past statements. His later views focused on domestic Russian issues, attributing imperialist tendencies only to the Kremlin, rather than addressing the broader societal ideology.