Ukraine

President Joe Biden announced on November 20 that the United States plans to transfer indiscriminate antipersonnel landmines to Ukraine. These weapons threaten civilians, particularly children – in 2023, civilians made up 84% of all recorded casualties from antipersonnel landmines (APLs). Of civilians hurt, over a third of them were children.

In 2023, children accounted for almost half of all casualties from cluster munition remnants.

FCNL and the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft led eleven other faith-based, humanitarian, human rights, think tank, and open government organizations in a letter calling on President Joe Biden, Secretary Antony Blinken, and Secretary Lloyd Austin to release an unclassified version of their strategy for engagement in Ukraine. They are required to do so by law but have so far failed to comply.  

On September 25, 2024, FCNL joined with the U.S. Cluster Munition Coalition and 17 other organizations to send a letter to President Biden expressing grave concern with current U.S. policy and practice on cluster munitions and urge immediate action.

there is a hopeful prospect nestled within the bill—a requirement for transparency and a clear strategy regarding the U.S. government’s future engagement in Ukraine.

After two years of a military-first response that has failed to secure lasting peace, we know war is not the answer. More support for weapons and war will not bring peace. Now is the time for the US to realign its approach and focus on de-escalation. The United States must seize this opportunity to recalibrate and better support the Ukrainian people and a just, sustainable peace.

These tragic anniversaries provide an important opportunity for the international community to reflect on how it can help bring an end to the violence and support sustainable peace. 

To effectively overcome the challenges and impact of the crisis in Ukraine, U.S. foreign policy needs a major reorientation. Collectively, the actions described in the brief would help set a path toward de-escalating the conflict, supporting a long-term diplomatic resolution, and securing sustainable peace in the region.

Since February 2022, the world has witnessed brutal war and horrific human suffering following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) urges Congress and the Administration to play a constructive role in ending the violence. Our Quaker faith calls us to always seek nonviolent solutions, even amid violence, and to help repair the wounds of war. The U.S. has a responsibility and an opportunity to champion a just and secure peace in the region, which can only be achieved through peaceful means.

Today marks the International Day of Peace. It offers us an opportunity for reflection on—and rededication to—the principles of peace and the work of building a just and non-violent world. This year, that opportunity feels both vital and urgent.