To:

President of the Russian Federation, His Excellency Vladimir V. Putin

President of the United States, His Excellency Mr. Donald J. Trump

President of Ukraine, His Excellency Mr. Volodymyr O. Zelensky

President of the European Commission, Her Excellency Ursula von der Leyen

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs & Security Policy, Her Excellency Kaja Kallas

Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, His Excellency Friedrich Merz

Prime Minister of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, His Excellency Rob A. A. Jetten

Secretary General of North Atlantic Treaty Organization, His Excellency Mark Rutte

OSCE Chairman-in-Office, His Excellency Ignazio Cassis

SG of the United Nations, His Excellency António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres

Open letter

Re: A call for Peace in Ukraine and Russia

Bussum, The Netherlands, 15 June 2026

Your Excellencies,

 At Peace SOS and the undersigned peace organizations, scientists and other supporters, we follow the news and stories from within Ukraine with a deep pain and concern about further escalation. We have less contact with people in Russia, but following the news, we assume that the people in Russia are also suffering severely. Pain has accumulated on all sides for many years.

 Many civilians and soldiers have been killed and wounded. Many people have been forced to flee their homes, and countless families have been torn apart by the war. Children have been separated from their parents, and many have lost mothers or fathers. People are living in constant fear of drone and rocket attacks. The war must be stopped so that families can be reunited and to prevent more children from losing a parent at the frontline. It must be stopped because every day it continues, children are deprived of the peaceful childhood and future they deserve. Adult leaders have a responsibility to care for their people and for future generations, not to condemn them to the prospect of endless war.

We ask you to find solutions at the negotiation table. We suggest that the Secretary General of the United Nations, His Excellency António Manuel de Oliveira Guterres, can play a role in this. After all, the UN was founded with the aim of contributing to peace. May the statue of Evgeny Vuchetich, gifted by the Soviet Union on 21 May 1960, in the United Nations Garden in New York be an inspiration and a reminder, saying: “They shall beat their swords into ploughshares.” (Isaiah 2:4).

Local peace-minded people and grassroots organizations can also contribute to peace in Ukraine and Russia and should be involved as vital contributors to restore peace, as well as international organizations. It is important to ensure that those who advocate peace and nonviolence can do so freely.

We call on you to end the violence and prevent more bloodshed by implementing a permanent ceasefire and setting up fair negotiations. Let us stop the spiral of violence which creates more pain and irreversible death, and work towards an upward spiral of healing, peace and reconciliation.

May all lives be cherished.

May the wounds of all the people impacted by the violence be healed.

May separated children return to their parents.

May we see soon: A World in Which All Children Can Play.

Wishing you peace and all the best,

May-May Meijer, founder Peace SOS, The Netherlands.

Yurii Sheliazhenko, Executive Secretary Ukrainian Pacifist Movement, Ukraine

Prof. Dr. Klaus Moegling, Universität Kassel, ret. Germany

Marie-Thérèse ter Haar, owner Eurasia-Institute, the Netherlands

Huub Lelieveld, 2026 World Food Prize Laureate, the Netherlands

Isabella Roekel van Rijn, Food Safety Security Foundation, the Netherlands

Fridays For Future International

Peace and Climate Justice (PCJ)

Henk Baars, chair Kerk en Vrede (Church and Peace), the Netherlands

Ewald Engelen, Professor Financial Geography, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands

Mirjam Ates-Snijdewind, Religies voor Vrede NL (Religions for Peace), the Netherlands

Ann Wright, Colonel (Ret), Veterans For Peace, United States

Kees van der Veer, director of the Cultural Studies Foundation Amsterdam, NL

Hans Matheeuwsen, St. Vredesburo (Peace Bureau) Eindhoven, the Netherlands

Lucien van Liere, Associate professor religion and conflict, Utrecht University, NL

Jakob de Jonge, Chair The Hague Peace Projects, the Netherlands

Ludo De Brabander, spokesperson Vrede Vzw, Belgium

Hans Lak, peace activist, Spain

Jobar Oranje, liaison officer Women & Sustainable Peace, the Netherlands

Prof. dr. Ir. Gerard C.M. Meijer (em), Delft University of Technology, the Netherlands

Dolph Kessler, publisher and author regarding the logic of peace, the Netherlands

Lidija Zelovic, documentary filmmaker, writer, the Netherlands

Nina Koevoets, Training Coordinator Foundation for Active Nonviolence, the Netherlands Vredesbeweging Pais, (Peace Movement Pais), the Netherlands

Dr Scilla Elworthy, Founder The Mighty Heart, Peace Direct, Oxford Research Group, UK

Sophie Bolt, General Secretary, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, United Kingdom

Gert Olefs, co-founder of White Green Blue sustainable you, Brazil

Patric Gorrebeeck, peace activist, Belgium

Marjolijn Snippe, WFBN, World Federalist movement, the Netherlands

Frans Micklinghoff, WFBN, World Federalist movement, the Netherlands

NVMP-Artsen voor vrede (Physicians for Peace), the Netherlands

Eveline Smits van Oyen, GGRU Groene Ruijter, the Netherlands

Arthur Graaff, coordinator Werkgroep Herdenk Nazi’s Niet, the Netherlands

Tom Sauer, Professor International Politics, University of Antwerp, Belgium

Wendela de Vries, Stop Wapenhandel (Stop the Arms Trade), the Netherlands

Willem de Haan, editor Peace Magazine, the Netherlands

Carla Segoloni Felici, translator of peace books, the Netherlands

Centro Gandhi Onlus Pisa, Italy

Marlies Tjallingii, Quakers, the Netherlands

Jan Hoekema, chair Pugwash, the Netherlands

Anke Kuiper, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, the Netherlands

Anna Zanen, Women for Sustainable Peace (umbrella organization), Netherlands

Ivana Balen, coördinator regiokring Leiden, De Nieuwe Vredesbeweging, the NL

Women Building Bridges Initiative

Inge Marit Wielinga Pols, Women for peace The Hague, the Netherlands

Please address your correspondence via e-mail to: May-May Meijer, E: info@peacesos.nl

Postal address (not the visiting address):

Peace SOS
Paviljoensgracht 20
2512 BP The Hague
The Netherlands

www.peacesos.nl