Open letter to Vladimir Putin, President of Russia

Mr Putin,

I would like to remind you that you signed the Paris Climate Agreement in 2019 on behalf of your country. Hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of work hours have been invested by countless scientists world-wide to solve the current climatic crisis threatening our planet. The whole international community has been working non-stop on reducing our carbon footprint (except for those that are so afraid of change, they choose to protect their psyches with denial), and yet here you are, deploying tanks, warplanes, thermobaric missiles that not only suck the air out of the victim’s lungs but also set the air on fire. And now you are making obscene threats to deploy nuclear weapons, all whilst we are still trying to survive the COVID-19 pandemic. What’s the carbon footprint of your war? What exactly are you offering the world, other than more global warming and misery?

You also signed the Minsk Agreement in 2014, in which you agreed to a ceasefire and withdrawal of troops, and to respect the independence of Ukraine. Yet, here you are again, sending young Russians to die in the name of outdated imperialism, adoration, and greed. Ukraine has refused to be part of Russia; they want to remain independent. They have said “NO” to you, and now you are taking it by force. That is rape. That is criminal.

You have failed your nation.

You have failed the world.

Your word is weak, and your signature is worthless.

Yet, there’s still time. You can still stop this non-sensical war which will scar our planet physically and psychologically. You can still choose how history will remember you: as a daring leader who acted rationally, and considered the health and wellbeing of the whole planet; or as a maniac exterminator ‘on par’ with Adolf Hitler? You can still stop, and I hope you can find the courage to do so. If you cannot, then I hope this message reaches the Russian people, your voters, and that they will stop you.

I salute you in peace.

B.M. Whitton