The European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO) is committed to promoting research, education and collaboration across our professional community, from all parts of Europe and globally. As a values-led Federation of National Associations, we support international integration, democracy and mutual understanding.
We, the Trustees and Executive Committee of EASO, herein call on our fellow medical and scientific associations to join us in strongly condemning the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation. We express our deepest sympathy to those affected – to Ukraine and her citizens, and especially to our Ukrainian colleagues. We hereby express our grave concern that this invasion will continue to have deleterious impacts on the physical and mental health of Ukrainians, both through disruption of clinical care and ongoing trauma, and we call upon the international community to put support mechanisms in place as a matter of urgency.
We call on National Governments in our member countries, the European Union, the United Nations, WHO Europe, United Nations agencies, humanitarian organisations, and the international community at large, to further strengthen their resolve to protect and support all victims of this conflict. We call on our members to offer support where they can, with donations through established NGOs that have the capacity to help on-site, such as United Nations High Commission for Refugees (https://www.unhcr.org) or the International Committee of the Red Cross (https://www.icrc.org).
We also call on our international scientific and medical colleagues to build upon the collaborative strength shown in facing the COVID-19 pandemic, and to continue to work together to help those affected by this tragic war. The principles of international, humanitarian and human rights law must be upheld, and we call for a swift and peaceful resolution to the conflict.