39 Nobel Prize laureates have signed an open letter urging world leaders to increase support for Ukraine and refuse to recognize Vladimir Putin as the legitimately elected president of Russia. The letter was published by the scientific journal T-Invariant, which unites Russian-speaking scholars abroad.
Russian presidential election, held from March 15-17, was marred by irregularities and violations. Putin reportedly secured over 87% of the votes, but the election included voting in occupied Ukrainian territories and lacked independent international observers from the OSCE.
“Putin’s regime has shown that it poses a clear and imminent threat to humanity. The full-scale aggression against Ukraine and the assassination of Alexei Navalny illustrate the escalation of the threat to a new level, as Putin’s regime no longer acknowledges any constraints on violating human rights and international norms,” the letter states.
The laureates believe that despite its propaganda efforts, Putin’s regime desperately seeks acknowledgment from the global community. By refusing to acknowledge Putin’s re-election, world leaders can send a powerful message that he can no longer be considered a ‘partner’.
The signatories also emphasize the importance of substantially increasing aid to Ukraine, stating that timely assistance will not only reduce the loss of human lives but also help drive out the aggressor from Ukrainian soil.
Furthermore, the letter calls for support for the democratic opposition in Russia and abroad.
Among the notable signatories are American immunologist Drew Weissman, Austrian playwright and novelist Elfriede Jelinek, Iranian human rights activist Shirin Ebadi, Ukrainian human rights activist Oleksandra Matviichuk, and Belarusian writer Svetlana Alexievich. Notably, no Russian laureates appear on the list of signatories.
Read more:
- Fraud, coercion, 90%+ for Putin: how Russia staged a sham election in occupied Ukraine
- Western nations condemn Russian elections in occupied Ukraine as illegitimate
- Ukraine’s MFA urges media not to call Russia’s “farce” as “elections”; over 55 countries condemn vote in occupied areas
