Nobel laureates call for an end to war posturing

As Nobel Peace Laureates, we call for an end to the war posturing that is increasing tensions between Russia and Ukraine and is plummeting Russian/Western relations to an all-time low.

Although Russia says it has no plans to invade Ukraine, it has moved over 100,000 troops to the Ukrainian border. Ukraine has stated its desire to join the NATO defense alliance thereby securing NATO support in the event of any military incursion. Russia views NATO expansion and military support to Ukraine as threatening to Russia.

All of this is more than rhetoric. It is an exercise in military escalation and a tacit acceptance of a war narrative. As peace laureates, we call for the rejection of these displays of violence and military might.

Peace talks took place in Paris on Wednesday with senior representatives of France, Germany, Russia, and Ukraine. These planned talks were aimed at ending the conflict in eastern Ukraine between government forces and pro-Russian separatists, but they also came at a critical time of elevated tension in the region.

We call for continued dialogue.

NATO has put troops on standby, the Pentagon has 8,500 combat-ready troops on alert and Russia continues to build up its military presence in the region. In addition to ongoing talks, however, there must be an immediate military de-escalation.

Military escalation and warmongering are nothing new to the women peace activists in Ukraine and Russia. Ukrainian and Russian women worked for peace during the last Russia/Ukraine crisis in 2014. They continue to work for peace now. We stand with them.

War posturing leads only to war. True, lasting peace happens when women’s voices are heard, human rights upheld, international law is respected, and when violence and militarization are rejected.

Leymah Gbowee, Nobel Peace Laureate (2011) – Liberia
Shirin Ebadi, Nobel Peace Laureate (2003) – Iran
Tawakkol Karman, Nobel Peace Laureate (2011) – Yemen
Rigoberta Menchú Tum, Nobel Peace Laureate (1992) – Guatemala
Jody Williams, Nobel Peace Laureate (1997) – USA