Dear friends,

The accession of Donald Trump to the presidency of the United States raises the possibility of the incoming US administration following through on Trump’s pledge to negotiate some kind of ceasefire agreement in Russia’s war on Ukraine.

One possible plan that is reportedly under consideration is that of retired lieutenant-general Keith Kellog whom Trump has named special envoy for the Russia-Ukraine war. Kellogg’s proposal would confront the Ukrainian government with a US arms cut-off if president Zelensky resists his plan for a “peace-for-land” exchange while threatening the Russian Federation with increased military support to Ukraine should president Putin refuse to come to the negotiating table.

The Boris Kagarlitsky International Solidarity Campaign, whose three goals are winning the unconditional release of all anti-war political prisoners in the Russian Federation, promoting discussion of Kagarlitsky’s work and campaigning for intellectual freedom, believes that any deal that may ultimately be concluded between Trump and Putin must include the release of anti-war political prisoners in the Russian Federation and the Ukrainian territories it currently occupies, and that this measure should extend to all anti-war political prisoners, not just to a selection made by the Russian authorities.

Specifically, it should include all those jailed for expressing opposition to the war, protesting against it and engaging in actions to hinder it that did not entail the deliberate deprivation of life of innocent parties.

Moreover, the Campaign supports the position that has been clearly expressed by Boris Kagarlitsky himself: that the freeing of anti-war political prisoners should be unconditional, without any requirement for those released to go into exile, either beyond or within the borders of the Russian Federation.

Should a deal be reached between the White House and the Kremlin, the Boris Kagarlitsky International Solidarity Campaign will press for the release of all those who have been unjustly imprisoned for exercising their basic rights in relation to the war.

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