FEBS strongly condemns the action of Russia in initiating an unjust war with Ukraine and attacking and killing civilians.
FEBS already cancelled the 2023 FEBS Congress planned for Russia, and withdrew participation of a member of the Russian Biochemical Society (RBS; ‘The Russian Society of Biochemists and Molecular Biologists at the Russian Academy of Sciences’) from one of the FEBS journal editorial boards and as an invited speaker in a FEBS3+ meeting.
The FEBS Executive Committee is now temporarily suspending RBS as a Constituent Society of FEBS, such that members of RBS are no longer eligible for FEBS funding programmes requiring FEBS Constituent Society membership. Furthermore, given the support of the Belarus government for the Russian government and Russian military action, the temporary suspension from FEBS Constituent Society membership benefits also applies to the Belarusian Society of Biochemists and Molecular Biologists (BSBMB). These suspensions apply from today with immediate effect and will be considered further in relation to the situation in Ukraine by FEBS Council at an upcoming meeting.
FEBS calls on a swift and peaceful resolution to the conflict.
FEBS is in contact with the leadership of the Ukrainian Biochemical Society to express support and solidarity. Later this week FEBS will be launching a Short-Term Fellowships scheme exclusively for members of the Ukrainian Biochemical Society. FEBS has also provided additional support for Ukrainian scientists to participate in the IUBMB–FEBS–PABMB Congress.
Václav Pačes, FEBS Secretary General
Piotr Laidler, FEBS Chair 2022
