"Ukraine must win this war": dozens of Nobel laureates urged to increase assistance to Kyiv and not to recognize Putin as president

The Nobel laureates addressed an open letter to world leaders. They noted that Ukraine, which has become a victim of a full-scale bloody war unleashed by Russia, must win. Therefore, the world must unite and help Ukraine achieve victory, as it will be the key to preserving peace, progress, and human rights on the planet.

At the same time, the signatories called on the world not to recognize Vladimir Putin's "re-election" for another presidential term, as the Russian ruler has turned Russia into a militarized police state with nuclear weapons that threatens the existence of the planet. So far, 39 Nobel Prize winners have signed the open letter, and the collection of signatures is ongoing, with the text published on the T-invariant website.

The authors of the appeal recalled Putin's crimes, especially in recent years, both against Ukraine and within Russia.

"Two years ago, Vladimir Putin unleashed an unprovoked full-scale aggression against Ukraine, which has led to deaths and destruction unseen since World War II. This war has been accompanied by an increasingly brutal crackdown on political life and freedom of speech in Russia itself. Recently, the world was shocked by the death of Alexei Navalny, an opponent of Putin. Before he was imprisoned, tortured, and ultimately killed, Navalny survived an attempted poisoning with chemical weapons organized by the Putin regime. Despite this horrific assassination attempt, he returned to Russia," the letter says.

The authors of the open letter emphasize that Navalny's murder and Russia's bloody aggression against Ukraine are not only about the countries where these crimes were committed. They concern the entire international community.

"The Putin regime has shown that it is a direct and clear threat to all of humanity. Since coming to power in 2000, Putin has systematically destroyed post-Soviet democratic institutions and fomented conflicts in the countries of the former USSR. The full-scale aggression against Ukraine and the murder of Alexei Navalny are a new level of threats, as the Putin regime no longer sees any limits to its violations of human rights and international norms," the authors of the letter are convinced.

The First and Second World Wars, which raged across the globe in the twentieth century and claimed millions of lives, have become a lesson for the world. Humanity, the signatories of the appeal note, has realized that it can avoid self-destruction only if it adheres to the principles of democracy and strictly observes international human rights law. And today's Russia is trying to destroy these traditions.

"The Putin regime has cynically trampled on them. The tragedies of totalitarianism call for respect for the freedom and dignity of the individual. Putin openly mocks them. He has turned Russia into an extremely militarized police state with the largest nuclear arsenal, which poses a threat to the very existence of the world. Alexei Navalny and other leaders of the Russian opposition have constantly reminded us of this threat, following the lead of their prominent predecessor, the 1975 Nobel Peace Prize winner, Academician Andrii Sakharov," the letter reads.

That is why the most prominent scientists from all over the world, as well as people who have made a special contribution to preventing the planet from plunging into a whirlpool of new wars, chaos, and self-destruction, called on political leaders of all countries to "stand with all their might for peace, progress, and human rights" and not to repeat the mistakes of their predecessors who once tried to appease Adolf Hitler and ended up with the worst war in history.

"As members of the international scientific community, we are deeply concerned that scientific progress is threatened by dictators who suppress intellectual freedom, especially when global cooperation is so important in the face of pandemics, climate change, and the existential threat of weapons of mass destruction. We call on world leaders and all people of goodwill to abandon any illusions about Mr. Putin and his criminal regime. History teaches us that appeasement of an aggressor leads to further crimes against humanity. No temporary benefits can justify this. We strongly oppose the repetition of Munich 1938!" the scientists called.

The first demand of the Nobel laureates to the world leaders is a significant increase in aid to Ukraine. After all, they are convinced, "Ukraine must win this war, not just 'not lose'."

"Timely assistance to Ukrainians will reduce the loss of human lives and help drive the aggressor from their land. Putin's failures during the military aggression will be perceived as a moral victory by millions of Russians, strengthen their hopes for a democratic future, and mobilize the anti-war movement," the signatories are convinced.

At the same time, they consider it necessary for the international community to support human rights and the democratic opposition in Russia. In particular, the world must intervene and protect political prisoners in Russia who are being tortured and threatened with physical destruction.

In addition, the letter calls for increasing support for Russian citizens facing repression for their democratic and anti-war political beliefs and in need of asylum, support for Russian democratic anti-Putin organizations and independent media in Russia, and finally, delegitimization of Putin's illegal holding of power in Russia by not recognizing him as re-elected president.

"We call on all people of goodwill and civil society organizations to use all resources available to them to actively influence political leaders to resist Russian aggression and support Ukraine. In memory of Alexei Navalny, who gave his life for this cause, we emphasize the importance of promoting democracy and the rule of law for Russia to become part of the community of democracies. Together, we can contribute to peace in Europe and prevent a global catastrophe," the authors of the letter summarized.

So far, the appeal has been signed by 39 Nobel laureates, including Belarusian writer Svetlana Aleksievich and Ukrainian human rights activist Oleksandra Matviichuk, who won the Nobel Peace Prize.

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