On Dialogue While Bombs Are Falling: PEN Ukraine Addresses the Global Intellectual Community 

As members of PEN Ukraine, writers in a variety of languages and representing a number of nationalities, and recognizing that, in a time of war, all who work in cultural fields bear a special responsibility both to culture itself and to the lives of those under siege, we would like to address the international intellectual community.

Ever since February 24^th, when Russia launched a full-scale war against our country, we’ve been receiving daily requests to engage in dialogue with Russian intellectuals on the question of reconciliation. At the same time, a number of our colleagues abroad have reacted harshly to our call for a boycott of Russian culture. This reaction only serves to distract the world’s attention from the war crimes being committed daily by Russia in its war against Ukraine.

Our concern is that, in Russia’s totalitarian society, culture is an instrument of influence and propaganda, and can be used to obscure the countless war crimes being committed by Russia against Ukraine. Today, in the name of "Russkiy Mir", Russian soldiers are murdering civilians, bombing hospitals, elementary schools, theaters, libraries, and universities, destroying not only Ukrainian culture as a whole but also the diverse cultures of the many minority communities living in Ukraine.

We remember those few individual representatives of Russian culture who, eight years ago, when Russia occupied Crimea and a part of our eastern territories, stood up in defense of Ukrainian territorial integrity. We also value the support of those who speak out against the war today. While we ourselves have often expressed our support for those writers, scholars, and human rights advocates who’ve openly opposed the Kremlin, we have to assert that, as long as bombs and missiles are falling on us, dialogue about reconciliation is impossible.

Today, and until that moment when the last Russian soldier has left Ukrainian territory, the only appropriate subject for our discussions with the international intellectual community must be about the need for an immediate cessation of Russia’s war crimes, not about the merits of its culture.

The statement signatories (the list is being updated):

1. Andriy Kurkov, writer, President of PEN Ukraine
2. Myroslav Marynovych, publicist, Honorary President of PEN Ukraine
3. Ola Hnatiuk, researcher, translator, professor at the NaUKMA and University of Warsaw, Vice President of PEN Ukraine
4. Serhiy Zhadan, writer
5. Ihor Isichenko, historian, Archbishop
6. Igor Kozlovskyy, religious scholar, historian, writer
7. Mykola Riabchuk, writer, publicist, Honorary President of PEN Ukraine
8. Ostap Slyvynsky, poet, translator, Vice President of PEN Ukraine
9. Tamara Hundorova, professor, literary scholar
10. Olha Herasymyuk, journalist, head of the National Council of Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine
11. Oleksandra Koval, Director of the Ukrainian Book Institute
12. Alim Aliev, Deputy Director General of the Ukrainian Institute
13. Iryna Starovoyt, poet, professor at the Department of Culture, UCU
14. Taras Prokhasko, writer
15. Askold Melnyczuk, writer (USA)
16. Maria Tytarenko, media researcher, essayist
17. Taras Luchuk, translator
18. Anatoliy Dnistrovyi, writer
19. Tetyana Teren, journalist, Executive Director at PEN Ukraine
20. Olha Luchuk, literary scholar
21. Vano Krueger, poet, philosopher, culturologist
22. Stepan Protsiuk, writer
23. Halyna Coynash, journalist
24. Oleh Kotsarev, writer
25. Alexei Nikitin, writer
26. Romana Romanyshyn, author, illustrator
27. Andriy Lesiv, author, designer, researcher
28. Andrij Bondar, author
29. Victoria Amelina, writer, founder of the New York Literature Festival
30. Maksym Bespalov, writer
31. Petro Yatsenko, writer
32. Kateryna Kalytko, writer
33. Yurko Prokhasko, translator, essayist
34. Taras Vozniak, political scientist
35. Vasyl Makhno, writer
36. Iryna Vikyrchak, culture manager, author
37. Marjana Savka, writer, publisher
38. Hryhoriy Falkovych, poet, Director of the Sholem Aleichem Society
39. Oles Ilchenko, writer
40. Iryna Slavinska, journalist
41. Oleksiy Panych, philosopher, translator
42. Oksana Forostyna, author, translator
43. Iza Chruślińska, writer, publicist (Poland)
44. Diana Klochko, art historian, lecturer
45. Olha Mukha, culture analytic, manager
46. Victor Morozov, translator
47. Yuri Matevoshchuk, culture manager, translator
48. Pavlo Volvach, writer
49. Bogdan Kolomiychuk, writer
50. Halyna Vdovychenko, writer
51. Natalka Sniadanko, writer
52. Vitaly Chernetsky, literary scholar, translator
53. Anna Vovchenko, translator
54. Kateryna Mikhalitsyna, writer, translator, editor
55. Nathalie Beltchenko, poetess, translator
56. Kateryna Botanova, critic, curator
57. Olia Rusian, writer, journalist
58. Mark Andryczyk, translator
59. Ivan Andrusiak, writer, editor
60. Halyna Kruk, writer, literary scholar
61. Andriy Puchkov, art historian, professor at the NaUKMA
62. Andrij Wachtel, philosopher, translator
63. Oksana Mamchenkova, journalist, Project Coordinator at PEN Ukraine
64. Yuliya Musakovska, poet, translator, communications professional
65. Haska Shyyan, writer
66. Pavlo Korobchuk, writer
67. Oleta Haleta, literary scholar
68. Vadym Karpyak, journalist
69. Iya Kiva, poet, translator
70. Alla Tatarenko, translator, literary scholar
71. Eleonora Solovey, literary scholar
72. Tanja Maljartschuk, writer
73. Petro Rykhlo, translator, literary scholar
74. Oksana Lushchevska, writer
75. Mykola Semena, journalist
76. Andriy Pavlyshyn, translator, historian
77. Borys Khersonsky, poet, translator
78. Natalka Bilotserkivets, poet
79. Oleksiy Sinchenko, literary scholar
80. Anastasiya Levkova, writer, editor
81. Oksana Kutsenko, writer
82. Vakhtang Kebuladze, philosopher, publicist, translator
83. Volodymyr Rafeyenko, writer, literary scholar
84. Yevheniya Chupryna, poet
85. Svitllana Povaliayeva, writer