The Russian Federation has started an aggressive military attack on our country! Imagine, in 2022, cruise missiles attack residential neighbourhoods, kindergartens and hospitals in central Europe. We, Ukrainian publishers, booksellers, translators, editors, all workers of the industry, are forced to reduce the books publishing, which is the meaning of our lives.
We can no longer visit international exhibitions, festivals etc., so we believe it would be fair to ban the participation of Russia, the aggressor country, and of the individual Russian publishers. It is unfair that Ukrainian publishers, due to Russian aggression, are now forced to give up their professional activities and defend their homeland with weapon in their hands, or sit in shelters while Russian publishers attend exhibitions, international forums and other events.
Given that the Russian Federation is arbitrarily violating international treaties and social norms, it will be dishonest not to react to such actions.
We join the main message of the Ukrainian Ministry of Culture of Ukraine: 'The Russian Federation is the aggressor. Its activities in the field of culture are toxic! Do not be accomplices!'
