STATEMENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF ACADEMIES OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGICAL SCIENCES (CAETS) ON THE INVASION OF UKRAINE

The International Council of Academies of Engineering and Technological Sciences (CAETS), as represented by the undersigned, is dismayed by the unprovoked large-scale military invasion of Ukraine at the instigation of the Russian government. We condemn this attack on the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Our thoughts are with the people of Ukraine, our sympathy and solidarity go out to them.

CAETS considers the invasion as an attack on the fundamental values of freedom, democracy and self-determination, which in turn provide the basis for academic freedom and opportunities for scientific and technological progress. We wish to express our solidarity with the Academy of Technological Sciences of Ukraine and with all Ukrainian scientists and engineers in the face of the ordeals they are going through as a result of the invasion of their country.

CAETS also wishes to pay tribute to the courageous stand taken by thousands of Russian scientists in an open letter denouncing the aggression towards Ukraine by the Russian Federation and calling for its immediate cessation.

The courageous defense advanced by the Ukrainian people shows their uncompromising attachment to freedom. In a multidimensional world, close scientific and technical international cooperation, in science and industry as in many other fields, is a necessity and requires respect for freedom, the freedom of peoples to choose their future and their freedom to think and express themselves.

CAETS and its member academies are committed to enabling a future in which peace prevails and standards of living and prosperity are secured through international cooperation in science and innovation. To that end CAETS calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities followed by meaningful peace talks under the auspices of the United Nations.

This statement was endorsed by the following CAETS member academies:

• Academia Nacional de Ingenieria of Argentina
• Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering
• Royal Belgian Academy Council of Applied Sciences
• Canadian Academy of Engineering
• Croatian Academy of Engineering
• Engineering Academy of the Czech Republic
• Danish Academy of Technical Sciences
• Council of Finnish Academies
• National Academy of Technologies of France
• National Academy of Science and Engineering of Germany
• Hungarian Academy of Engineering
• Irish Academy of Engineering
• Engineering Academy of Japan
• National Academy of Engineering of Korea
• Academy of Engineering of Mexico
• Netherlands Academy of Technology and Innovation
• Royal Society Te Aparangi of New Zealand
• Nigerian Academy of Engineering
• Norwegian Academy of Technological Sciences
• Slovenian Academy of Engineering
• South African Academy of Engineering
• Real Academia de Ingenieria of Spain
• Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences
• Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences
• Royal Academy of Engineering of the United Kingdom
• National Academy of Engineering of the United States

CAETS is an independent nonpolitical, non-governmental, international organization of engineering and technological sciences academies; current membership includes 31 countries.

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