Russians Barred From New Large Hadron Collider Experiments Over Ukraine Invasion

The council met today to discuss how Russia's invasion of Ukraine affects the scientific collaboration's ability to pursue its goals and ensure the safety and wellbeing of its members. The council meeting resulted in a resolution to condemn the Russian invasion, to suspend Russia's Observer status to the council, and to not begin new collaborations with Russian institutions. The council deplored the use of force against Ukraine and the involvement of Belarus.

The flagship project of the European Organization for Nuclear Research is the Large Hadron Collider, a huge particle physics research facility located in Switzerland. Two delegates from each of the collaboration's 23 member states make up the council. The United States, Japan, the European Union, the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, and UNESCO are all Observers at the European Organization for Nuclear Research.

In 2016 Ukraine became an Associate Member State of CERN. Many Ukrainian and Russian scientists are involved in the collaboration. The council resolution stated that Corin will promote initiatives to support Ukrainian collaborators and Ukrainian scientific activity in the field of high-energy physics.

The open letter was signed by Russian scientists. We would like to express our sorrow and regret about what happened in Ukraine. We are against the military actions of the Russian Federation. The only appropriate way to resolve the conflict is through diplomacy and negotiations.

The council stated that collaboration between the Russian community and the European Organization for Nuclear Research would continue, though that was subject to change.