It has been almost one year since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began. As representatives of Mayors for Peace, we express our grave concern for the immeasurable suffering that this protracted war continues to bring to innocent citizens, and offer our sincerest condolences to all the victims of this war.

Russia’s repeated threats to use nuclear weapons, which began immediately following the invasion, sent shivers throughout the globe and people were left to face a harsh truth: the imminent likelihood of nuclear war. Yet in response, the dangerous theory of nuclear deterrence, which attempts to justify the existence of such weapons, has only gained further momentum. This year, the Doomsday Clock was reset to 90 seconds to midnight. It is the closest the clock has ever come to potential human annihilation, highlighting the unprecedented global danger we now face.

78 years ago, nuclear weapons were used to attack Hiroshima and Nagasaki in warfare, ruthlessly taking more than 210,000 precious lives by the end of that year. Those who barely managed to survive were left with deep psychological and physical wounds that still have yet to heal. The hibakusha continue to suffer to this day, especially from the harmful effects of radiation. Should another nuclear weapon be used even once, cities and their citizens will be subject to indiscriminate destruction, and all living things on Earth will suffer from its catastrophic consequences.

This absolute evil and unacceptable violation of human dignity must never, ever be repeated. The risk of creating another Hiroshima and Nagasaki is looming now. We, representatives of Mayors for Peace, a network composed of mayors of local governments, the most immediate presence to citizens, and of the atomic-bombed cities, strongly raise our voices in protest to state:

Nuclear weapons must never be used.

The only guarantee to protect humanity and the planet from the threat of nuclear weapons is their total elimination.

We stand in solidarity to prevent the current situation from escalating into nuclear war and demand a swift end to this agonizing war by building mutual trust through dialogue. Mayors for Peace will spare no efforts to work with our over 8,200 member cities and their citizens in 166 countries and regions all around the world to support the courageous actions of policymakers everywhere toward the realization of a peaceful, nuclear-weapon-free world.