All posts by CPNN Coordinator

About CPNN Coordinator

Dr David Adams is the coordinator of the Culture of Peace News Network. He retired in 2001 from UNESCO where he was the Director of the Unit for the International Year for the Culture of Peace, proclaimed for the Year 2000 by the United Nations General Assembly.

Thousands of Russian cultural figures sign open letter against the war

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

Information from Echo of Moscow (website later blocked by Russian government)

Over 17,000 signatures were listed on the following google document as of March 2.

We, artists, curators, architects, critics, art critics, art managers – representatives of art and culture of the Russian Federation – have initiated and sign this open letter, which we consider insufficient but necessary action on the way to peace between Russia and Ukraine.

On February 24, 2022, the Russian Federation launched a sudden, aggressive and open military offensive throughout Ukraine. The reason for him was declared “protection of residents of the DPR and LPR”, while military operations are carried out throughout Ukraine and in its major cities: Kiev, Lviv, Kharkiv, Odessa and others. Among the residents of these cities are a large number of our relatives, friends, acquaintances and colleagues. We demand to stop this war with Ukraine, which has lasted since 2014, – a sovereign and independent state – and start negotiating with it on a respectful and equal basis.

The war in Ukraine is a terrible tragedy for both Ukrainians and Russians. It entails huge human casualties, jeopardizes the economy and security, and will lead our country to complete international isolation. At the same time, it is absolutely meaningless – any coercion to peace through violence is absurd. The pretext under which the deployment of the “special operation” took place is entirely designed by representatives of the Russian authorities, and we oppose this war being waged on our behalf.

Now, first of all, we are concerned about the fate of Ukrainians, their lives and safety!

However, on behalf of the professional community, it is also important for us to say that the further escalation of the war will have irreparable consequences for artists and cultural workers. This will take away our last opportunities to fully work, speak out, create projects, popularize and develop culture, take away the future. Everything that has been done culturally over the past 30 years has now been jeopardized: all international ties will be broken, cultural private or public institutions will be preserved, partnerships with other countries will be suspended. All this will destroy the already fragile economy of Russian culture and significantly reduce its importance both for Russian society and for the international community as a whole. It will be almost impossible to study culture and art in such conditions.

We, artists, curators, architects, critics, art critics, art managers – representatives of art and culture of the Russian Federation – express our absolute solidarity with the residents of Ukraine and say decisively “NO WAR!” We demand an immediate stop of all hostilities, the withdrawal of troops from the territory of Ukraine and peace negotiations.

You can sign the open letter here. The full list of signatories will be updated.

(Continued in right column)

Questions related to this article:
 
Can the peace movement help stop the war in the Ukraine?

(Continued from left column)

Here is the original letter in Russian:

Мы, художники, кураторы, архитекторы, критики, искусствоведы, арт-менеджеры — представители искусства и культуры Российской Федерации — инициировали и подписываем это открытое письмо, которое считаем недостаточным, но необходимым действием на пути к миру между Россией и Украиной.

24 февраля 2022 года Российская Федерация начала внезапное, агрессивное и открытое военное наступление по всей территории Украины. Поводом для него была объявлена «защита жителей ДНР и ЛНР», военные же действия ведутся на всей территории Украины и в ее крупных городах: Киеве, Львове, Харькове, Одессе и других. Среди жителей этих городов — большое количество наших родственников, друзей, знакомых и коллег. Мы требуем остановить эту длящуюся с 2014 года войну c Украиной — суверенным и независимым государством — и начать вести с ней переговоры на уважительных и равноправных основаниях.

Война в Украине — страшная трагедия как для украинцев, так и для россиян. Она влечет огромные человеческие жертвы, ставит под удар экономику и безопасность, приведет нашу страну к полной международной изоляции. В то же время она абсолютно бессмысленна — любое принуждение к миру с помощью насилия абсурдно. Предлог, под которым произошло развертывание «спецоперации», целиком и полностью сконструирован представителями российской власти, и мы выступаем против того, чтобы эта война велась от нашего имени.

Сейчас в первую очередь нас беспокоит судьба украинцев, их жизнь и безопасность!

Однако от лица профессионального сообщества нам также важно сказать, что дальнейшая эскалация войны обернется непоправимыми последствиями для работников искусства и культуры. Это заберет у нас последние возможности полноценно работать, высказываться, создавать проекты, популяризировать и развивать культуру, отнимет будущее. Все, что было сделано в культурном плане за последние 30 лет, сегодня оказалось поставлено под удар: все международные связи будут разорваны, культурные частные или государственные институции будут законсервированы, партнерские отношения с другими странами будут приостановлены. Все это разрушит и без того хрупкую экономику российской культуры и существенно снизит ее значимость и для российского общества, и для международного сообщества в целом. Заниматься культурой и искусством в таких условиях будет практически невозможно.

Мы, художники, кураторы, архитекторы, критики, искусствоведы, арт-менеджеры — представители искусства и культуры Российской Федерации — выражаем свою абсолютную солидарность с жителями Украины и говорим решительное «НЕТ ВОЙНЕ!». Мы требуем немедленной остановки всех военных действий, вывода войск с территории Украины и проведения мирных переговоров.

Подписать открытое письмо вы можете по ссылке. Полный список подписавших будет дополняться.

An open letter from Russian scientists and science journalists against the war with Ukraine

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

Published on the Russian website TrV-science (Trojan variant – Science) (translated from Russian by google translator)

Also published in Russian on the following Russian websites as of February 25: Colta; Polit; Postimees; Echomsk radio; TJournal; Dozhd TV Rain; Ostro b; MIGNEWS; KO ; Vesma Today; News2.


Illustration from Postimees

And in Russian on other websites:

Ekho Kavkaza; Exclusive, Kazakhstan; Delfi, Italy; Natali-Ya Live Journal Digest No. 349; Exler blog; Kalakazo Live Journal; ZDG, Moldova; Palestinets 1977 Live Journal; Yulkar Live Journal.

With 502 comments and over 370 signatures as of 24.02.2022
Over 1800 signatures as of 26.02.2022.
Almost 5000 signatures as of 28.02.2022.

We, Russian scientists and scientific journalists, declare a strong protest against the hostilities launched by the armed forces of our country on the territory of Ukraine. This fatal step leads to huge human losses and undermines the foundations of the established system of international security. The responsibility for unleashing a new war in Europe lies entirely with Russia.

There is no rational justification for this war. Attempts to use the situation in Donbass as a pretext for launching a military operation do not inspire any confidence. It is clear that Ukraine does not pose a threat to the security of our country. The war against her is unfair and frankly senseless.

Ukraine has been and remains a country close to us. Many of us have relatives, friends and scientific colleagues living in Ukraine. Our fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers fought together against Nazism. Unleashing a war for the sake of the geopolitical ambitions of the leadership of the Russian Federation, driven by dubious historiosophical fantasies, is a cynical betrayal of their memory.

We respect Ukrainian statehood, which rests on really working democratic institutions. We treat the European choice of our neighbors with understanding. We are convinced that all problems in relations between our countries can be resolved peacefully.

Having unleashed the war, Russia doomed itself to international isolation, to the position of a pariah country. This means that we, scientists, will no longer be able to do our job normally: after all, conducting scientific research is unthinkable without full cooperation with colleagues from other countries. The isolation of Russia from the world means further cultural and technological degradation of our country in the complete absence of positive prospects. War with Ukraine is a step to nowhere.

It is bitter for us to realize that our country, which made a decisive contribution to the victory over Nazism, has now become the instigator of a new war on the European continent. We demand an immediate halt to all military operations directed against Ukraine. We demand respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Ukrainian state. We demand peace for our countries.

Signatures continue to come, we add as much as we can. (Now there are more than 370):

(Continued in right column)

Questions related to this article:
 
Can the peace movement help stop the war in the Ukraine?

(Continued from left column)

Here is the original Russian version:

Открытое письмо российских ученых и научных журналистов против войны с Украиной
 
24.02.2022 /  502 комментария

Мы, российские ученые и научные журналисты, заявляем решительный протест против военных действий, начатых вооружёнными силами нашей страны на территории Украины. Этот фатальный шаг ведёт к огромным человеческим жертвам и подрывает основы сложившейся системы международной безопасности. Ответственность за развязывание новой войны в Европе целиком лежит на России.

Для этой войны нет никаких разумных оправданий. Попытки использовать ситуацию в Донбассе как повод для развёртывания военной операции не вызывают никакого доверия. Совершенно очевидно, что Украина не представляет угрозы для безопасности нашей страны. Война против неё несправедлива и откровенно бессмысленна.

Украина была и остаётся близкой нам страной. У многих из нас в Украине живут родственники, друзья и коллеги по научной работе. Наши отцы, деды и прадеды вместе воевали против нацизма. Развязывание войны ради геополитических амбиций руководства РФ, движимого сомнительными историософскими фантазиями, есть циничное предательство их памяти.

Мы уважаем украинскую государственность, которая держится на реально работающих демократических институтах. Мы с пониманием относимся к европейскому выбору наших соседей. Мы убеждены в том, что все проблемы в отношениях между нашими странами могут быть решены мирным путём.

Развязав войну, Россия обрекла себя на международную изоляцию, на положение страны-изгоя. Это значит, что мы, учёные, теперь не сможем нормально заниматься своим делом: ведь проведение научных исследований немыслимо без полноценного сотрудничества с коллегами из других стран. Изоляция России от мира означает дальнейшую культурную и технологическую деградацию нашей страны при полном отсутствии позитивных перспектив. Война с Украиной — это шаг в никуда.

Нам горько сознавать, что наша страна, которая внесла решающий вклад в победу над нацизмом, сейчас стала поджигателем новой войны на европейском континенте. Мы требуем немедленной остановки всех военных действий, направленных против Украины. Мы требуем уважения суверенитета и территориальной целостности украинского государства. Мы требуем мира для наших стран.

Подписи продолжают приходить, добавляем по мере сил (сейчас их более 370):

Abortion: is it a human right?

Here is the response of Amnesty International:

Access to safe abortion is an essential component of a fair and equal society, and is integral to realizing the full range of human rights, Amnesty International said today. The organization has published its updated policy on abortion that aligns with evolving human rights law and standards. The policy equips the organization to undertake stronger campaigning and advocacy around abortion and to better support local movements advancing sexual and reproductive rights.

The updated policy recognizes abortion, provided in a manner that respects human rights, autonomy, and dignity, as the right of anyone who can become pregnant. Amnesty International is also calling for universal access to safe abortion and related care and information, in addition to full decriminalization.

Around 47,000 women die each year as a result of seeking unsafe abortions. This global tragedy will not end until abortion is fully decriminalized and made accessible and affordable to everyone.

Rajat Khosla, Senior Director of Research and Advocacy.
“Around 47,000 women die each year as a result of seeking unsafe abortions. This global tragedy will not end until abortion is fully decriminalized and made accessible and affordable to everyone. Abortion must be treated like any other health service, and anyone seeking an abortion must be treated with compassion and dignity and with respect for their human rights,” said Rajat Khosla, Amnesty International’s Senior Director of Research and Advocacy.

“Our updated policy was developed in consultation with human rights experts, medical providers and the Amnesty movement, and informed by years of research and engagement with women and girls whose lives have been shattered by restrictive laws. We will continue to demand that governments respect reproductive autonomy, and campaign for safe abortion access for anyone who seeks it, without discrimination, coercion or stigma.”

The updated policy is endorsed by the International Federation of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (FIGO), which represents national societies of medical professionals in 132 countries and territories.

International legal norms and standards around abortion have undergone a substantial evolution in the past decade. In line with these changes, Amnesty International has updated its position to ensure it is better-placed to challenge the full range of human rights violations due to criminalization of abortion, to advocate for removal of all barriers to safe abortion and to promote reproductive, gender and economic justice.

Amnesty International’s updated policy:

Recognizes that anyone who can become pregnant has the right to an abortion

Calls for universal access to safe abortion, as early as possible and as late as necessary, and for provision of post-abortion care and evidence-based abortion-related information

Recognizes that decisions around pregnancy and abortion directly impact the full spectrum of human rights

Calls for removing abortion from criminal and other punitive laws and policies, and to stop punishing women, girls and all pregnant people, healthcare providers and others for obtaining, assisting with, or providing abortion services

Calls for reforming laws and policies that limit abortion access to specific circumstances

Confirms that human rights protections start at birth, in line with international law

Calls on states to fulfil economic and social rights by promoting policies that empower pregnant people to make free decisions about their reproductive lives – including through access to health care, social security and the means to obtain an adequate standard of living.

“Abortion is not an isolated issue. Denying people the right to make decisions about their own bodies perpetuates gender and economic inequality, and entrenches stigma and discrimination,” said Rajat Khosla.

“We recognize that abortion is a deeply complex subject, but punitive approaches do not address the many social, economic and personal issues that shape people’s decisions to end their pregnancies. Full decriminalization of abortion is essential to protect human rights and prevent further deaths and injuries due to unsafe abortions.”

This question pertains to the following articles

Colombia: Decriminalization of abortion is a triumph for human rights

. . HUMAN RIGHTS . .

An article from Amnesty International

The Colombian Constitutional Court’s ruling in favour of the decriminalization of abortion during the first 24 weeks of a pregnancy is a great triumph for human rights, said Amnesty International today.


Photo by: Daniel Romero/Long Visual Press/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

“We celebrate this ruling as a historic victory for the women’s movement in Colombia that has fought for decades for the recognition of their rights. Women, girls and people able to bear children are the only ones who should make decisions about their bodies. Now, instead of punishing them, the Colombian authorities will have to recognize their autonomy over their bodies and their life plans,” said Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas director at Amnesty International.

“Following the legalization of abortion in Argentina last year and the recent decriminalization in Mexico, this ruling is yet another example of the unstoppable momentum of the green tide in Latin America. We will not stop fighting until the sexual and reproductive rights of all women, girls and people able to bear children are recognized in the entire continent, without exception.”

The Constitutional Court approved the ruling to decriminalize abortion today during the first 24 weeks of pregnancy, with five votes in favour and four against. After 24 weeks, legal abortion will continue to only be permitted in cases of a risk to the life or health of the pregnant person; the existence of life-threatening fetal malformations; or when the pregnancy is the result of rape, incest or non-consensual artificial insemination.

(continued in right column)

(click here for the article in French or click here for the article in Spanish.).)

Question related to this article:

Abortion: is it a human right?

(continued from left column)

“Although decriminalizing abortion in the first 24 weeks is a vital step forward for abortion rights in Colombia, and for Latin America and the Caribbean, no one should ever be criminalized for accessing an abortion. It’s vital that we keep pushing for full access to safe and legal abortion in all circumstances in Colombia and beyond,” added Erika Guevara-Rosas.

Despite being a fundamental right established by the Constitutional Court in Decree C-355 of 2006, access to abortion is currently unequal and limited in Colombia. It is estimated that currently in the country there are 400,400 abortions performed each year, and that less than 10% of these procedures are performed legally, with a high concentration of services in the biggest cities.

Legal abortion is not only much safer than clandestine abortion, but also the cost of its provision in Colombia, compared to care for incomplete abortion,  is much lower  when performed in top-level institutions, using the techniques recommended by the World Health Organisation.

The criminalization of abortion exacerbates inequalities between women. The vast majority of those reported for clandestine abortions in Colombia are those who live in rural areas and almost a third  of them are survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence or personal injury. Therefore, instead of framework with greater guarantees of human rights, a framework of persecution against the most vulnerable women has prevailed.

Moreover, the criminalization of abortion has generated fear and stigma in health care providers,  causing them to avoid providing the service  of termination of pregnancy for fear of the social and legal consequences they may face. 

For more information or to arrange an interview, contact: Duncan Tucker: duncan.tucker@amnesty.org

USA: A Labor Statement on the Crisis in Ukraine

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

A petition available at Action Network

A LABOR STATEMENT ON THE CRISIS IN UKRAINE

by Founders, Leaders and Supporters of
U.S. Labor Against the War*

To: President Joseph Biden

From: [Your Name]

We oppose the bellicose behavior of the U.S. government regarding the crisis in Ukraine. We condemn U.S. provocative rhetoric and preparations for yet another war. We condemn the destabilizing policies the U.S. has pursued that have contributed to the crisis, in this case especially the steady expansion of NATO eastward toward Russia.

We oppose the bellicose behavior of the U.S. government regarding the crisis in Ukraine. We condemn U.S. provocative rhetoric and preparations for yet another war. We condemn the destabilizing policies the U.S. has pursued that have contributed to the crisis, in this case especially the steady expansion of NATO eastward toward Russia.

To defuse the crisis and lay a foundation for its diplomatic resolution, the U.S. should immediately declare its policy and commitment that NATO will not advance any further toward the Russian border. Ukraine’s entry into NATO requires the unanimous agreement of all existing NATO members. Ukraine has no automatic right to join NATO. The US has no obligation to hold open the possibility of that opportunity. Rather than deploying thousands of US troops and billions of dollars in military hardware to the region, which only serves to inflame the situation, the US should make clear its commitment that NATO will not expand any further toward Russia, and that NATO and the US will deploy no missiles or other aggressive weapons or forces in any state on Russia’s borders, recognizing that NATO currently already includes states that border Russia: Norway, Estonia, and Latvia.

We call upon the US, other NATO countries, Ukraine and Russia to de-escalate their confrontation, pull all military forces back from their borders, and engage in good faith negotiations to resolve their differences based on the concept of “common security” in which the strategic interests of all parties are addressed.

The US military-industrial complex has an insatiable appetite for war and the threat and preparation for war. Despite having just ended its “forever war” in Afghanistan, the US is increasing its military budget for the coming year to an astounding $768 billion. We must not allow Congress to once again squander hundreds of billions of dollars in military spending, money that is urgently needed for the full Build Back Better agenda to meet the needs of the American People. We must contract, rather than continue to expand US military operations around the world, operations that are already the world’s leading contributor to carbon emissions and global warming.

(Continued in right column)

Questions related to this article:
 
Can the peace movement help stop the war in the Ukraine?

How can the peace movement become stronger and more effective?

(Continued from left column)

We invite and encourage other leaders, organizers, and activists in the US labor movement to sign on to this statement, pass resolutions along these lines in their unions, and press all members of Congress and President Biden to reverse course and declare that the US will not support continued NATO expansion to Russia’s borders. Twenty years of the so-called “Global War on Terror” should have taught us that complex international disputes cannot be resolved by military might. Patient, persistent multilateral diplomacy that addresses the security interests of all parties is what is now required.

The resources now plowed into war and preparation for war should be devoted to meeting the urgent needs of working class people and addressing the global challenge of climate change. We and the world cannot afford another senseless, wasteful, and destructive military conflict.

Signatories (Organizations listed for ID only)

David Bacon, Independent Photojournalist, Pacific Media Workers Guild/CWA

Kathy Black, USLAW National Co-Convenor (retired); AFSCME DC 47 (retired)

John Braxton, USLAW National Co-Convenor (retired); Co-President Emeritus, AFT Local 2026

Gene Bruskin, USLAW National Co-Convenor (retired)

Elise Bryant, President, CLUW (Coalition of Labor Union Women); Exec Board Member, CWA/TNG Local 32035

Thomas Paine Cronin, President Emeritus, AFSCME DC47, Philadelphia

Jeff Crosby, former President, North Shore Labor Council

Ajamu Dillahunt, APWU Local President (retired); Black Workers for Justice(BWFJ); Southern Workers Assembly (SWA)

Michael Eisenscher, USLAW National Coordinator (retired); American Federation of Teachers AFT Local 1603; Publishers, SolidarityINFOSerivce

Frank Emspak, Producer, Exec. Producer, Madison Labor Radio

Bill Fletcher, Jr., former president of TransAfrica Forum; lifelong trade unionist

Tom Gogan, USLAW National Organizer (retired); National Writers Union

John Matthews, Executive Director (retired), Madison Teachers, Inc.

Bob Muehlenkamp, USLAW National Co-Convenor (retired); Organizing Director (retired), International Brotherhood of Teamsters

Saladin Muhammad, member Black Workers for Justice; Southern Workers Assembly; International Rep of UE (retired)

David Newby, President Emeritus, Wisconsin State AFL-CIO

Marcia Newfield, Professional Staff Congress- CUNY, AFT 2334 (retired)

Peter Olney, Director of Organizing ILWU (retired)

Carl Rosen, President, United Electrical, Radio & Machine Workers of America

Edward Sadlowski, Former Exec. Dir. of Madison Teachers, Inc.

Anthony Sessa, General Chair, BMWED Teamsters; General Chair, Passenger Rail Federation

Barbara Smith, AFT Local 4848

Brooks Sunkett, USLAW National Co-convenor (retired); Vice President, Communications Workers of America (retired)

Rand Wilson, Former Organizer, Labor for Bernie

Nancy Wohlforth, USLAW National Co-Convenor (retired); National Secretary-Treasurer, Office & Professional Workers International Union (retired)

Michael Zweig, USLAW National Co-Convenor (retired); United University Professions – AFT 2190

*U.S. Labor Against the War ended in 2020.

English bulletin March 1, 2022

PEACE ACTIVISTS AGAINST WAR IN UKRAINE

(Editor’s note: This was originally published on February 21 prior to the invasion.)

The commercial mass media, more than ever an arm of the culture of war, has trumpeted claims that the Ukraine is about to be invaded by Russia in open warfare and that the US and NATO are moving forces into the surrounding countries.

What you don’t find in the commercial mass media is any mention of the antiwar declarations by peace activists in all of the countries concerned.

By careful searching we have been able to find these declarations. Here they are.

Ukraine: The Ukrainian Pacifist Movement has published a declaration on their facebook page, demanding

– compliance with the Minsk peace agreement of 2015;
– withdrawal of all troops,
– suspension of all supplies of weapons and military equipment,
– suspension of total mobilization of the population for war, propaganda of war and hostility of civilizations in the media and social media.”

and going beyond the Ukraine they demand:
– global deescalation and disarmament
– the dissolution of military alliances,
– the elimination of armies and borders dividing people.”

Russia: An open letter, signed by many Russian artists, politicians and academics, and even a retired colonel of the armed forces, criticizes what they call “the party of war in the Russian leadership.” “Only one point of view. is presented on state television, and that is the point of view of the supporters of the war.  We hear about military threats and aggression concerning Ukraine by America and Western countries. But the most dangerous thing is that war is being presented as an acceptable and inevitable course of events. People are trying to deceive, corrupt, impose on us the idea of a holy war with the West instead of developing our country and raising our standard of living. The question is not discussed, but it is ordinary people who will have to pay this price – a huge and bloody price.”

Ironically, the Google document with the full list of signatures is blocked by Google, with the statement that “You can’t access this item because it is in violation of our Terms of Service.”

(Editor’s note: More recently, as of March 5, protests have intensified including thousands of Russian IT workers, teachers, the directors of LUKOIL, the largest private company in Russia, mathematicians, chess champions, artists and cultural workers and scientists who have signed open letters or declarations against the war.)

United States: The United National AntiWar Coalition (UNAC), which brings together most of the leading antiwar organizations of the United States, has issued a statement recalling that the United States promised Soviet leaders at the end of the Cold War that NATO would not expand east of Germany, and criticizing the West for breaking this promise and threatening Russia.

UNAC demands:
– No US weapons or military advisors for the Ukrainian military;
– Stop the US saber rattling;
– No war with Russia;
– Keep Ukraine out of NATO.

France: An extensive list of French peace organizations and trade unions have signed a statement condemning the “geopolitical games at work both on the part of the Russian Federation, the European Union, NATO and others” and demanding:

– Immediate negotiations for de-escalation;
– Stopping threats, NATO and Russian troop concentrations and arms deliveries to all parties;
– A ceasefire in Ukraine and the implementation of existing agreements;
– That the United Nations be the privileged framework for developing political and diplomatic solutions to settle the Ukrainian question.

United Kingdom: Stop the War Coalition has issued a statement opposing war in the Ukraine and criticizing the role the the Britsh government has played by talking up the threat of war continually, advancing no proposals for a diplomatic solution and sending arms to Ukraine and deploying further troops to Eastern Europe. Among other demands, the Coalition call for “a halt to the eastward expansion of NATO” and “a new security deal for Europe which meets the needs of all states and peoples.”

Germany: A petition signed by over 200 German politicians and peace activists states that “A one-sided blaming of Russia, as practiced by some Western governments and in the major media, is unjustified  and is increasingly taking on the character of war propaganda.” The petition demands:

– Concrete steps to de-escalate, no military supplies to Kiev,
– No more war rhetoric, confrontational politics and sanctions against Russia;
– Active advocacy for the implementation of the Minsk II agreement, which is binding under international law ;
– Negotiations with Russia based on a clear commitment to detente and the principle of common security;
– Active advocacy for arms control and disarmament negotiations.

In addition to these declarations by peace activists, the European Leadership Network has published an updated set of seven far-reaching recommendations for reducing the military tensions between Russia, the US and NATO that is signed by 26 leading Russian academicians and 49 leading academicians from the West. In addition to academicians among the signatories from the United States are former ambassadors to Russia, Ukraine and NATO, a former Secretary of Defense, and several retired admirals and generals. On the Russian side there are also very high-placed signatories in addition to academicians, including the former head of the Russian Strategic Rocket Forces, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, a former ambassador to the United States, a former Chief Military Representive to NATO and a retired general of the armed forces.

Will the political leaders of Russia, Ukraine, United States and NATO listen to these voices, even though they are not found in the commercial mass media. We can only hope so.

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY

paix

France : War is never the solution. Yes to a negotiated political solution.

TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

pope

The Pope : “The time has come to live in a spirit of fraternity and build a culture of peace”

WOMEN’S EQUALITY

women

United Nations : Commission on the Status of Women 2022

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

experts

The Expert Dialogue on NATO-Russia Risk Reduction: Seven recommendations

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Tchad

Central Africa : Safeguarding the Lake Chad basin, a major regional challenge

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION

olympics

UN chief calls for Olympic Truce to build ‘culture of peace’ through sport

HUMAN RIGHTS

apartheid

Amnesty International : Israel’s Apartheid Against Palestinians

EDUCATION FOR PEACE

chairs

Mexico : Renowned researchers share their experience of the UNESCO Chairs of the Latin American and Caribbean Region

German petition against war in the Ukraine

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

An article by CPNN based on multiple sources as indicated

According to one source, peace activist Willi van Oyen, who was one of the initiators of the call, said: “We spontaneously developed the call with active friends from the peace movement because we believe that a clear statement in the current situation will help us to move forward”. According to another source,  Willi van Oyen is co-organizer of the Easter Marches for 50 years and parliamentary group leader of the Left Party in the Hessian state parliament.

The petition is published along with the first two hundred signatories on the website of Nie wieder krieg which translates as “Never again war.”

The signatories include  Left Party politicians Sahra Wagenknecht, Sevim Dağdelen, Gregor Gysi and Oskar Lafontaine, as well as religious theologian and peace activist Eugen Drewermann and Reiner Braun of the International Peace Bureau.

(Continued in right column)

Questions related to this article:
 
Can the peace movement help stop the war in the Ukraine?

How can the peace movement become stronger and more effective?

(Continued from left column)

Here is the petition as translated from the German by the Chrome browser.

The Ukraine crisis has escalated into a serious threat to peace in Europe.

A one-sided blaming of Russia, as practiced by some Western governments and in the major media, is unjustified  and is increasingly taking on the character of war propaganda.

Despite military maneuvers near Ukraine , Russia has no interest in a war that would have catastrophic consequences for all sides. A similar number of soldiers are on the Ukrainian side and are threatening areas in eastern Ukraine controlled by pro-Russian rebels. In view of the tense situation, there is a risk that a provocation will trigger sparks that will explode the powder keg, even if there are no intentions of war.

It is in Moscow’s legitimate security interest that By unanimous UN Security Council decision, Minsk II also has binding international law status . However, the implementation is mainly blocked by Ukraine. Sanctions will not change anything in the conflict. They are pointlessly damaging both Russia and other European countries.

Forces fueling tensions with aggressive nationalism and revanchism must be pushed back on all sides.

Propaganda wars, saber rattling, sanctions and rearmament must stop. Instead, we need de-escalation and diplomacy. All the more so as the global threat of climate and environmental disasters can only be averted through international cooperation.
 
We demand:

– Concrete steps to de-escalate, no military supplies to Kiev,

– No more war rhetoric, confrontational politics and sanctions against Russia;

– Active advocacy for the implementation of the Minsk II agreement, which is binding under international law ;

– Negotiations with Russia based on a clear commitment to detente and the principle of common security;

– Active advocacy for arms control and disarmament negotiations.

Statement of Ukrainian Pacifist Movement

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

A statement from February 2 on the Facebook page of the Ukrainian Pacifist Movement (translatied from Ukrainian by Facebook)

The people of our country and the entire planet are in mortal danger because of the nuclear confrontation between the civilizations of the East and West. It is necessary to stop the building of troops, the accumulation of weapons and military equipment in and around Ukraine, the insane throwing of taxpayers money into the war machine instead of solving acute socio-economic and environmental problems, stop the asshole a tribute to the cruel parishioners of military commanders and oligarchs who profit from bloodshed.


Illustration from Pravdoiskatel – Truth seeker

The Ukrainian Pacific Movement condemns the preparations of Ukraine and NATO member states for the war with Russia.

We demand global deescalation and disarmament, the dissolution of military alliances, the elimination of armies and borders dividing people.

(Continued in right column)

Questions related to this article:
 
Can the peace movement help stop the war in the Ukraine?

How can the peace movement become stronger and more effective?

(Continued from left column)

We demand an immediate peaceful settlement of the armed conflict in eastern Ukraine, around Donetsk and Lugansk based on:

1) complete ceasefire by all pro-Ukrainian and pro-Russian combatants and untouchable compliance with the Complex of measures for the Minsk Agreements approved by the UN Security Council resolution No. 2202 (2015);

2) withdrawal of all troops, suspension of all supplies of weapons and military equipment, suspension of total mobilization of the population for war, propaganda of war and hostility of civilizations in the media and social media;

3) Conducting open, inclusive and comprehensive negotiations on peace and disarmament in the format of a public dialogue between all state and non-state participants of the conflict with the participation of the peaceful public;

4) constitutional strengthening of Ukraine’s neutrality;

5) to guarantee human rights to ideological refusal of military service, including refusal of training in military service (military training) in accordance with Article 18 of the International Pact on Civil and Political Rights and paragraphs 2, 11 Notes on another order No. 22 of the UN Human Rights Committee.

War is a crime against humanity. Therefore, we strongly refuse to support any kind of war and try to eliminate all causes of war.

(Editor’s note: See also a similar statement by Yuriy Shelyazhenko, Executive Secretary of the Ukrainian Pacifist Movement published on the website of Pravdoiskatel – Truth seeker

Statement of Peace Supporters against the Party of War in the Russian leadership

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

An open letter published on the website of Echomsk radio (translated from the Russian by CPNN) (website later blocked by Russian government)

The flow of disturbing information about a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine is intensifying. There are reports of intensive recruitment of mercenaries in Russia and the transfer of fuel and military equipment to the territory of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions of Ukraine. In response, Ukraine is intensively arming, NATO is sending additional forces to Eastern Europe. The tension does not subside, but on the contrary, it only grows.


In fact the citizens of Russia are becoming hostages of the criminal adventurism of Russian foreign policy.  They not only live in uncertainty if a big war will begin, but also observe a sharp rise in prices and a fall in the value of the national currency. Do we need such a policy in Russia? Do we want war, and are we ready to bear its burden? Did we give the authorities the right to play such a game with our destinies?

But no one asks the citizens of Russia. There is no public discussion. Only one point of view is presented on state television, and that is the point of view of the supporters of the war.  We hear about military threats and aggression concerning Ukraine by America and Western countries. But the most dangerous thing is that war is being presented as an acceptable and inevitable course of events. People are trying to deceive, corrupt, impose on us the idea of a holy war with the West instead of developing our country and raising our standard of living. The question is not discussed, but it is ordinary people who will have to pay this price – a huge and bloody price.

We, responsible citizens of Russia and patriots of our country, appeal to the political leadership of Russia, and we issue an open and public challenge to the War Party, which has been formed within the government.

We express the point of view of that part of Russian society that hates war and considers even the use of a military threat and criminal style in foreign policy rhetoric to be a crime.

We hate war, while you think it is acceptable. We stand up for peace and prosperity for all citizens of Russia, while you put ourr lives and destinies on the line in your political game. You are deceiving and using people, and we are telling them the truth. We are speaking on behalf of Russia, and not you, because the peoples of Russia, having lost millions of people in the wars of the past, for many decades live by the proverb “let there not be war.” Have you forgotten about it?

Our position is extremely simple: Russia does not need a war with Ukraine and the West. Nobody threatens us, nobody attacks us. A policy based on promoting the idea of such a war is immoral, irresponsible and criminal, and should not be carried out on behalf of the peoples of Russia. Such a war can have neither legitimate nor moral goals. The diplomacy of the country should take any other position than the categorical rejection of such a war.

War does not correspond to the interests of Russia, and it poses a threat to our very existence. The insane actions of the political leadership of the country, pushing us to this point, will inevitably lead to the formation of a mass anti-war movement in Russia. Each of us naturally becomes a part of it.

We will do everything possible to prevent, and if necessary, stop the war.

(Continued in right column)

Questions related to this article:
 
Can the peace movement help stop the war in the Ukraine?

How can the peace movement become stronger and more effective?

(Continued from left column)

Congress of Intelligentsia collects signatures here
The full list of signatories is available here.

Lev Ponomarev*, human rights activist

Valery Borshchev, human rights activist

Svetlana Gannushkina, human rights activist

Leonid Gozman, politician

Liya Akhedzhakova, actress, People’s Artist of the Russian Federation

Andrey Makarevich, musician

Harry Bardin, director

Viktor Shenderovich*, writer

Tatyana Lazareva, TV presenter

Andrey Zubov, historian, politician

Andrey Nechaev , politician

Alina Vitukhnovskaya, writer

Alexander Belavin, physicist

Nikolai Rozanov, corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Natalia Evdokimova, executive secretary of the Human Rights Council of St. Petersburg

Efim Khazanov, academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Ilya Ginzburg, physicist, professor

Zoya Svetova, journalist

Grigory Yavlinsky, politician

Lev Shlosberg, politician

Boris Vishnevsky, politician

Lev Gudkov, sociologist, Doctor of Philosophy, Professor

Igor Chubais, philosopher

Tatyana Voltskaya*, poet, journalist

Boris Sokolov, historian, writer

Mikhail Krieger, civic activist

Veronika Dolina, poet

Vladimir Mirzoev , director

Ksenia Larina, journalist

Andrey Piontkovsky, publicist,

Mark Urnov, HSE professor

Mikhail Lavrenov, writer

Nikolai Prokudin, writer

Elena Fanailova, poet, journalist

Grigory Mikhnov-Vaitenko, clergyman

Lev Levinson, human rights activist

Sergei Germann, writer

Vladimir Alex, civil activist

Yuri Gimmelfarb, journalist

Yuri Samodurov, human rights activist

Yevgeny Tsymbal, civil activist

Vitaly Dixon, writer

Natalia Mavlevich, translator

Ashraf Fattakhov, lawyer

Viktor Yunak, writer

Valeria Prikhodkina, human rights activist

Elena Grigorieva, children’s poet

Vera Shabelnikova, editor

Mair Makhaev, philosopher, linguist

Amnuel Grigory, producer, director, publicist, politician.

Sergei Krivenko, human rights activist

Yaroslav Nikitenko, environmental and civil activist, scientist

Tatyana Yankelevich Bonner, human rights activist

Nikita Sokolov, historian

Anatoly Golubovsky, historian

Nikolai Rekubratsky, researcher

Vitold Abankin, human rights activist

Elena Bukvareva, Doctor of Biology

Igor Toporkov, human rights activist
Yevgeny Kalakin, director

Lyudmila Alpern, human rights activist

Nina Katerli, writer

Vladimir Zalishchak, municipal deputy

Olga Mazurova, doctor

Oleg Motkov, director

Natalya Pakhsaryan, professor of Moscow State University

Elena Volkova, philologist, culturologist

Valery Otstavnykh, director, journalist

Georgy Karetnikov, civic activist

Marina Boroditskaya, writer

Sergey German, member of the Writers’ Union of Russia

Sergey Lutsenko, animation supervisor

Alexey Diveev, programmer

Tatyana Vorozheikina, lecturer at the Free University of Moscow

Tatyana Kotlyar, human rights activist

Anatoly Barmin, pharmacist

Valentin Skvortsov, professor at Moscow State University

Lev Ingel, physicist

Mikhail Mints, historian

Leonid Chubarov, professor

Katya-Anna Taguti, artist

Elena Efros, civic activist

Anna Shapiro, director

Tatyana Dorutina, member of the Human Rights Council of St. Petersburg

Arkady Konikov, programmer

Sergei Pechenkin, civic activist

Anatoly Razumov, historian

Alexander Sannikov, retired Colonel of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation

Anatoly Tsirlin, Professor

Karen Hakobyan, Doctor of Philosophy, Professor

* These signatories are recognized by the Russian government as “foreign agents.”

The Expert Dialogue on NATO-Russia Risk Reduction: Seven recommendations

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

A publication by the European Leadership Network

In December 2020, the ELN published a set of recommendations that came out of a series of senior expert discussions led by ELN members Sergey Rogov and Alexey Gromyko on Russia-NATO risk reduction. The recommendations addressed most of the areas of common ground so far sketched in Russian, US and NATO exchanges during the present crisis. Had those recommendations been acted upon, we might now be on a better path away from crisis.

In this new statement, signed by 75 members of the expert group including retired diplomats and military officers from the United States, Russia and Europe, we renew to all sides seven of our recommendations, updated to meet the present situation. Taken together these measures would materially contribute not just to a reduction of Russia-NATO tension but a reduction of Russia-NATO risk.

The recommendations are:

1. Regular meetings should be held between the Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, the Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, the NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) and the Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, reinforced by military experts, to address issues of current concern.

2. In addition, NATO member states and Russia should resume contacts at the level of military representatives in the NATO Military Committee and restore the Russian military liaison mission at SACEUR Headquarters.

3. Russia and NATO member states could agree that both sides will conduct large-scale military exercises, as a rule, at a militarily meaningful distance from their borders, but where geography prevents this then additional measures of notification, transparency and predictability must be taken. They should consider reducing the scale and frequency of military activities with respect to numbers and geography, in particular exercises near borders. Generally, military exercises should be executed responsibly, not provocatively.

4. Both sides could take initial steps in the form of parallel unilateral measures that do not necessarily require conclusion of a formal agreement between NATO, or NATO member states, and Russia, which could prove politically difficult to achieve in the present environment.

5. Russia and the United States could confirm that, irrespective of the course of the present crisis, they will systematically develop their dialogue on the future of strategic stability and cyber security as agreed at their Geneva summit in June 2021.

6. Russia and NATO could immediately agree to launch negotiations on a new zero option for the deployment in Europe of US and Russian intermediate-range land-based missiles and their launchers.

7. Russia and NATO member states could immediately agree to launch negotiations on a package of measures on the basis of the existing bilateral and multilateral agreements on prevention of incidents at sea and above the sea, and on prevention of dangerous military activities.

Read the full statement in English and Russian here.

The opinions articulated above represent the views of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of the European Leadership Network or any of its members. The ELN’s aim is to encourage debates that will help develop Europe’s capacity to address the pressing foreign, defence, and security policy challenges of our time.

Russian signatories
Name Position
1. Dmitry Danilov Head, Department of European security, Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IERAS)
2. Victor Esin Colonel General (ret.), Former Head of the Main Staff of the Russian Strategic Rocket Forces, Research Professor, Centre for Advanced Studies of Russian National Security, HSE University
3. Alexandra Filippenko Senior Research Fellow, Department for Military-Political Research, Institute for the US and Canadian Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences (ISKRAN)
4. Valery Garbuzov Director, Institute for the US and Canadian Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences (ISKRAN)
5. Alexey Gromyko Director, Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IERAS), Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences
6. Evgenia Issraelian Leading Research Fellow, Department of Canadian Studies, Institute for the US and Canadian Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences (ISKRAN)
7. Igor Ivanov Minister of Foreign Affairs (1998-2004), former Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation (2004-2007), President of Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC)
8. Andrey Kortunov Director General, Russian International Affairs Council
9. Oleg Krivolapov Senior Research Fellow, Department for Military-Political Research, Institute for the US and Canadian Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences (ISKRAN)
10. Valentin Kuznetsov Vice Admiral (ret.), former Chief Military Representative of the RF at NATO, Senior Research Fellow, Department for Military-Political Research, Institute for the US and Canadian Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences (ISKRAN);
11. Vladimir Lukin Russian Ambassador to the United States (1992-1994), director on the board of the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), Deputy Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Federation Council of the RF
12. Alexander Nikitin Director, Center for Euro-Atlantic Security, Moscow State Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation (MGIMO), Honorary President of the Russian Association of Political Science
13. Mikhail Nosov Member of Directorate, Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IERAS)
14. Sergey Oznobishev Head, Department of Military and Political Analysis and Research Projects, Primakov Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO)
15. Pavel Palazhchenko Head of Press Office, Gorbachev Foundation
16. Alexander Panov Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Honored Member of the Russian Diplomatic Service, Head, Department of Diplomacy MGIMO University
17. Sergey Rogov Academic Director, Institute for the US and Canadian Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences (ISKRAN), Chairman 4 of the International Security Advisory Board of the Scientific Council at the Security Council of the Russian Federation; Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences
18. Pavel Sharikov Leading Research Fellow, Department of the European Integration, Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IERAS)
19. Igor Sherbak Former First Deputy of the Permanent Representative of the RF at the United Nations, Leading Research Fellow, Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IERAS)

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Questions related to this article:

Where in the world can we find good leadership today?

(continued from left column)

20. Alexey Stepanov Research Fellow, Department for Military-Political Studies, Institute for the US and Canadian Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences (ISKRAN)
21. Nataliya Stepanova Research Fellow, Department for Military-Political Studies, Institute for the US and Canadian Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences (ISKRAN)
22. Alexander Usoltsev Head, International Relations Department, Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR)
23. Fedor Voytolovsky Director, Primakov National Research Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO), Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences
24. Igor Yurgens President of the All-Russian Insurance Association, Member of the Board of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs
25. Andrey Zagorskiy Head, Department for Disarmament and Conflict Resolution Studies, Primakov National Research Institute for World Economy and International Relations of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IMEMO)
26. Pavel Zolotarev Major General (ret.), Leading Research Fellow, Department of Military-Political Studies, Institute for the US and Canadian Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences (ISKRAN)

European and American signatories
Name Position
27. James Acton Co-director, Nuclear Policy Program Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
28. Roy Allison Professor of Russian and Eurasian International Relations, Director, Russian and Eurasian Studies Centre, St. Anthony’s College, Oxford
29. James Bindenagel Ambassador (ret.), Henry Kissinger Professor, Center for Advanced Security, Strategy and Integration Studies Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn
30. Sharan Burrow General Secretary, International Trade Union Confederation
31. Richard Burt Chairman of Global Zero US, US Chief Negotiator in the Strategic Arms Reduction Talks with the former Soviet Union, former US Ambassador to Germany
32. Pierce Corden Former division chief, United States Arms Control and Disarmament Agency and research fellow at the Center for Science,Technology and Security Policy, Amer. Assoc. for the Advancement of Science 5
33. Christopher Davis Professorial Research Fellow, University of Oxford
34. Marc Finaud Head of Arms Proliferation and Diplomatic Tradecraft, Geneva Centre for Security Policy
35. Nancy Gallagher Director, Center for International and Security Studies at Maryland (CISSM)
36. Helmut W. Ganser Brigadier General (ret.), Defence Advisor to the German NATO Delegation 2004-2008, Brussels
37. Joseph Gerson President, Campaign for Peace, Disarmament & Common Security
38. Alexander Graef Research Fellow, Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy at the University of Hamburg (IFSH)
39. Thomas Graham Managing director, Kissinger Associates, Inc.
40. Thomas Greminger Director of the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP), former Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)
41. Sven Hirdman Ambassador to Russia 1994-2004, State Secretary Ministry of Defence of Sweden (1979-1982);
42. Jon Huntsman Former Ambassador to Russia, former Governor of Utah
43. Daryl Kimball Executive Director, Arms Control Association
44. Lawrence Korb US Navy Captain (ret.), former Assistant Secretary of Defense, Reagan Administration, Senior Research Fellow, Center for American Progress, and Senior Advisor, Defense Information Center;
45. Reinhard Krumm Director, FES Office for Peace and Security, Friedrich-EbertStiftung
46. Ruediger Luedeking Ambassador (ret), former Deputy Commissioner of the German Federal Government for Disarmament and Arms Control
47. Douglas Lute Lieutenant General (rt.), US Ambassador to NATO, 2013- 2017, Senior Fellow, Belfer Center, Harvard University
48. Jack Matlock US Ambassador to the Soviet Union (1987-1991)
49. Hanna Notte Senior Research Associate, Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (VCDNP)
50. Olga Oliker PhD, Adjunct Professor, Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies
51. Janusz Onyszkiewicz Former Minister of National Defense of Poland
52. Zachary Paikin Researcher, EU Foreign Policy at the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS)
53. William Perry former US Secretary of Defense, Director of the Preventive Defense Project at CISAC, FSI Senior Fellow
54. Andreas Persbo Research Director, ELN
55. Nicolai Petro Professor of Political Science, University of Rhode Island
56. Thomas Pickering Former US Under Secretary of State, former Ambassador to Jordan, Nigeria, El Salvador, Israel, the United Nations, India and Russia
57. Steven Pifer Former US Ambassador to Ukraine, nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and research fellow at 6 Stanford University;
58. William Potter Sam Nunn and Richard Lugar Professor of Nonproliferation Studies, Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey
59. Wolfgang Richter Colonel (ret.), Senior Military Advisor of the Permanent Representation of Germany to the OSCE, Vienna (2005– 2009); Senior Associate, International Security Division, German Institute for International and Security Affairs, Berlin (SWP)
60. Cynthia Roberts, Professor of Political Science, Hunter College, City University of New York, Senior Research Scholar, Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies Columbia University
61. José M Treviño Ruiz Admiral SP Navy (retired)
62. Lynn Rusten Vice President for Global Nuclear Policy, Nuclear Threat Initiative
63. Kevin Ryan Brigadier-General (ret), Senior Fellow, Harvard Kennedy School Belfer Center
64. Vladimir Senko Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus
65. Reiner Schwalb Brigadier-General (ret), National German Representative at NATO Allied Command Transformation, Norfolk/VA, 2007- 2010; German Senior Defense Official and Attache to the Russian Federation, Moscow, 2011–2018
66. Stefano Silvestri Senior Scientifi c Advisor at Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI), former Under Secretary of State for Defence, former President of IAI (2001-2013);
67. Graham Stacey Senior Consulting Fellow, ELN, former Chief of Staff of NATO Transformation
68. Strobe Talbott Distinguished fellow in the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution, Deputy Secretary of State (1994-2001), President of the Brookings Institution (2002-2017)
69. Bruno Tertrais Deputy Director, Fondation pour la recherche stratégique (Foundation for Strategic Research, FRS)
70. Greg Thielmann Board member of the Arms Control Association, Commissioner of the U.S.-Russian-German “Deep Cuts” Project;
71. Adam Thomson Director of the European leadership network, Permanent UK representative to NATO (2014-2016)
72. Owen Tudor Deputy General Secretary, International Trade Union Confederation
73. Harlan Ullman Senior Advisor, Atlantic Council
74. Alexander Vershbow Former Assistant Secretary of Defense, former NATO Deputy Secretary General; former US Ambassador to South Korea, NATO, Russia; Distinguished Visiting Fellow at University of Pennsylvania’s Perry World House; Distinguished Fellow at the Atlantic Council.
75. Dov Zakheim Vice Chair, Foreign Policy Research Institute, Former Under Secretary of Defense 7