Ukraine deserves to win: Nobel Peace Prize laureates to send a powerful message to the US government

From July 25 to 28, 2023, a delegation of the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize laureates from Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia will hold meetings with senior US government officials, delivering a message of unwavering support for Ukraine. The visit, initiated and supported by eQualitie will take place in Washington DC in partnership with the National Endowment for Democracy and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

During their four-day visit, the delegation, consisting of Oleksandra Matviichuk from The Centre for Civil Liberties of Ukraine, Aleksandr Cherkasov from the Memorial Human Rights Center of Russia, and Kanstantsin Staradubets of Viasna Human Rights Center also representing the imprisoned laureate Ales Bialiatski of Belarus, will engage with representatives from the State Department, the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, the US Committee on Foreign Relations and the White House, as well as with various legal experts and influential think tanks.

The 2022 Nobel Peace Prize laureates, have issued statements advocating for greater US involvement in support of a Ukrainian victory and recommendations for rebuilding the international system of peace and security. Oleksandra Matviichuk of the Center for Civil Liberties highlights Russia’s longstanding utilization of warfare as a means to achieve its geopolitical objectives, employing war crimes as a strategy for securing victory. This pattern is evident in numerous states, including Chechnya, Georgia, Moldova, Mali, and Syria. Remarkably, Russia has managed to evade accountability for its actions throughout these conflicts. According to Matviichuk, breaking the circle of impunity is essential to hold Vladimir Putin, Russian top leadership, and military leaders accountable.

“We must switch from the narrative of “let’s help Ukraine not to fail” to “let’s help Ukraine win” and we should do it quickly. There is a huge difference between those, in terms of sanctions and weapons” – Oleksandra Matviichuk

Aleksandr Cherkasov of Memorial urges that investigating and penalizing past atrocities is vital for achieving justice for present-day war criminals. Neglecting this crucial step undermines our efforts, impeding the attainment of substantial and meaningful outcomes.

“Crimes witnessed during the ongoing full-scale war in Ukraine can be traced back to a culmination of events over the past three decades, characterized by a relentless cycle of wars, crimes, and a lack of accountability” – Aleksandr Cherkasov

Kanstantsin Staradubets highlights that victory for Ukraine will not only bring freedom to Belarus but also symbolize the triumph of civil society in a country currently under Russian occupation.

“It is impossible to preserve global peace and the independence of Belarus without stopping Russian aggressive imperialism. This requires the victory of Ukraine” – Kanstantsin Staradubets

We invite those of you in DC to join us on Wednesday, July 26, as the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace hosts a public event: “A Conversation with the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize Winners from Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia.” Don’t miss this opportunity to attend. Register now using the provided link.