Protest letter against President Putin's Statements about the Use of Nuclear Weapons (February 28, 2022)

Letter of Protest

February 28, 2022

The Honorable Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin
President of the Russian Federation

Dear Mr. President,

On behalf of the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, cities that have experienced devastation of nuclear bombs, we are writing this letter in strong opposition to Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine and rhetoric implying the use of nuclear weapons.

Such conduct is a violation of the ardent wishes of the survivors of the atomic bombings, who have been calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons, to “never let anyone in the world go through the same suffering.” The atomic bombed cities, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, are outraged by this conduct.

This behavior comes right after January’s joint declaration to the world made by five nuclear states, including Russia, where it was stated that “a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought.” This behavior is deeply disappointing to international society which has endeavored to realize a world without nuclear weapons.

We must not allow there to be a third site of a war-time atomic bombing after Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

We strongly urge that Russia immediately cease this unreasonable invasion where precious human lives are being taken and once peaceful ways of life are being upended and, instead, search for peaceful solutions.

Yours sincerely,

MATSUI Kazumi
Mayor of Hiroshima

TAUE Tomihisa
Mayor of Nagasaki

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