Archival image of Vladimir Putin. – -/Kremlin/dpa
Since the start of the Russian offensive in Ukraine in February 2022, the international community adopted a series of restrictive measures against Moscow. These sanctions, initially affecting the economic and financial sectors, have extended to the cultural and scientific fields. The freezing of Russian assets, trade restrictions and diplomatic isolation have gradually affected international collaborations, upending decades of established partnerships. Cutting-edge sectors, notably scientific research, have particularly suffered from this severance of links with the Russia.
CERN loses a historic partner
The departure of the Russia of CERN marks the end of a fruitful collaboration in European nuclear research. This organization, established in 1954 to encourage scientific cooperation after World War II, is home to one of the most sophisticated particle accelerators in the world. The presence of a thousand Russian researchers demonstrated the importance of this collaboration. However, the invasion of l’Ukraine pushed the institution to suspend its ties with Moscow. Russian scientists nevertheless facilitated this separation by transmitting their expertise before their departure, as underlined Joachim Mnichdirector of research.
Major implications for global science
This withdrawal raises concerns within the international scientific community. Beate Heinemanndirector of the physical particle division at DESY of Hambourganticipates significant slowdowns in current projects. The breakdown of this collaboration not only affects current work but also calls into question the founding ideal of CERN : the promotion of scientific research transcending political boundaries. Russian expertise, developed over decades, leaves a void that international teams will have to fill. This situation illustrates how geopolitical tensions can hinder global scientific advances, depriving basic research of valuable talent and resources.
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