Politicians, especially those who are sufficiently prominent to be involved in actual governance, are very seldom pacifists. Accordingly, I am unaware of any statements made by pacifist politicians on the Russo-Ukranian War. However, a large number of (self-described) pacifist organisations have provided some level of commentary, and examples are found below.
Secular Organizations
War Resisters' International
Describes itself as,
a global network of grassroots antimilitarist and pacifist groups, working together for a world without war
and is one of the oldest and largest international pacifist networks, having been founded in 1921. It is based in London, UK. On February 24th 2022 they released the following statement,
As War Resisters' International, we are extremely concerned about the war in Ukraine. War is a crime against humanity!
We call on Russia to immediately cease all attacks and withdraw its troops from the borders with Ukraine.
We call on the people of Luhansk/Lugansk and Donetsk/Donetsk to make it clear to the Russian government that they want to determine their own destiny, not at the price of war.
We call on the Ukrainian government to renounce military resistance and to proclaim civil resistance instead.
We call on the Ukrainian people to refuse all obedience to a possible new government installed by Russia. This is called social defence. If everyone refuses to obey Russia's orders, if Russia occupies Ukraine, it will ultimately not be able to achieve its goals.
We also call on the Russian people and Russian soldiers to refuse all obedience to their government's acts of war, to resist non-violently and to bring about the removal of the Putin regime. This is also part of social defence.
We call on Russia, the UN, the OSCE, NATO and all governments to start negotiations immediately.
We call on NATO members to show moderation in their response to Russian aggression and not to make the Russian people pay for the crimes of their leadership.
We stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine in these difficult times and we support those resisting war in Ukraine, Russia and elsewhere.
So essentially they condemn the Russian invasion and advocate the use of Civilian-based defence. More recently, WRI has published articles by Yurii Sheliazhenko, who is described as the executive secretary of a group called Ukrainian Pacifists. You can find the full article here. It is largely what one would expect from a pacifist group, but does include the following, somewhat interesting line,
We don’t call for any particular action now to ensure that peace plans will not be targeted by hatred and attacks of militarists
Peace Pledge Union
Is a British NGO, founded in 1934, which, in its own words, "has been campaigning for a warless World". Here is a summary of their position on the Russo-Ukrainian War,
The Peace Pledge Union stands in solidarity with peace campaigners in Ukraine, Russia and throughout the world who are resisting the war in Ukraine. Condemning the invasion of Ukraine and renouncing all war, we stand against both Russian militarism and NATO militarism.
The War Resisters League
Is an American organisation, founded in 1923 which claims to adhere to the following creed,
The War Resisters League affirms that all war is a crime against humanity. We are determined not to support any kind of war, international or civil, and to strive nonviolently for the removal of all causes of war, including racism, sexism and all forms of exploitation.
They released this statement in June 2022, which concludes as follows,
As an antimilitarist organization that has resisted war for a century, we affirm that our hope does not rely in the actions of nations which will always be self-interested. Our hope lies in the courageous experiments with nonviolence among people who resist violence and oppression. Our hope resides in recognizing that no person is our enemy, but war itself is the common enemy of all humanity.
To stop this war, we call for an end to the escalation, authentic peace talks, and a demilitarization of the region. There is no hope in military victory.
German Peace Society (DFG-VK)
Was founded in 1892 in Berlin, and released the following statement in February 2022,
Stop the war! Остановите войну!
After the deployment of Russian troops to the separatist regions of Luhansk and Donetsk and their recognition by Russia as independent states on Tuesday, this was followed Thursday morning by Russia's invasion of other parts of Ukraine in violation of international law on the orders of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Our solidarity is with the people of Ukraine and all who will suffer the consequences of this war.
We demand an immediate stop to the attacks on Ukraine, the withdrawal of Russian troops and a return to the negotiating table. We call on all soldiers to lay down their arms and refuse to go to war. We demand from the European Union to open its borders for refugees and to maintain the visa-free regime for Ukrainians. The German government must accept and support deserters and conscientious objectors from Ukraine and Russia.
We strictly reject arms deliveries to crisis and war zones, including Ukraine. These are counterproductive and make urgently needed peace negotiations impossible. There is no separation between defensive and offensive weapons. Any weapon can always be used to support own attacks or counterattacks. More weapons do not lead to peace, they rather pour oil on the fire of this conflict. We firmly reject demands from Germany for a military build- up or participation in the conflict.
We call on all countries to reject Russia's breach of international law. The approval of the Russian invasion by individual states outrages us. We advocate the outlawing and prohibition of wars of aggression worldwide and legal consequences for those responsible. We call for prudence in this difficult situation in order to prevent a further escalation of the war. Russia's president is threatening consequences for interference the likes of which have never been seen in history. Putin's threats, particularly with regard to the worldwide nuclear arsenals, fill us with concern. This situation highlights the need for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
The vision of a pan-European peace order is becoming a distant prospect as a result of the invasion of Russian troops. Only a cessation of hostilities and the development of sustainable solutions can restore prospects for peaceful coexistence.
We welcome all non-violent protests in Russia, Ukraine and other parts of the world that demand the cessation of hostilities and work for peaceful solutions. We call on people to continue to take to the streets in the coming days and especially invite them to the large rally we are co-organizing on Sunday at 1 p.m. at the Victory Column in Berlin.
You can find the full list of NGOs and their statement on the war (released February 2022) at the above link. This is the concluding paragraph,
We strongly stand in solidarity with all people living in Ukraine’s territory and support the people of Russia who are against the war. South Korean civil society calls for peace and stands in solidarity with people around the world who are against this war.
Stop the War Coalition
Is a British group established in 2001 which has been active in opposing the War in Afghanistan, the Iraq War, and NATO more generally. They give this description of their own activities,
Stop the War opposes the British establishment’s disastrous addiction to war and its squandering of public resources on militarism. We have initiated many campaigns around these issues.
We are committed to supporting Palestinian rights, opposing racism and Islamophobia, and to the defence of civil liberties.
In February 2022, they released the following statement in relation the Russo-Ukrainian War,
Stop the War condemns the movement of Russian forces into eastern Ukraine and urges that they immediately withdraw, alongside the resumption of diplomatic negotiations to resolve the crisis.
This dispute could and should be resolved peacefully, and that remains the only basis for a lasting settlement, rather than the imposition of military solutions. That it has not been resolved is not, however, the responsibility of the Russian or Ukrainian governments alone.
The conflict is the product of thirty years of failed policies, including the expansion of NATO and US hegemony at the expense of other countries as well as major wars of aggression by the USA, Britain and other NATO powers which have undermined international law and the United Nations.
The British government has played a provocative role in the present crisis, talking up war, decrying diplomacy as appeasement and escalating arms supplies and military deployments to Eastern Europe.
If there is to be a return to diplomacy, as there should be, the British government should pledge to oppose any further eastward expansion of NATO and should encourage a return to the Minsk-2 agreement, already signed by both sides, by all parties as a basis for ending the crisis in relations between Ukraine and Russia.
Beyond that, there now needs to be a unified effort to develop pan-European security arrangements which meet the needs of all states, something that should have been done when the Warsaw Pact was wound up at the end of the Cold War. The alternative is endless great power conflict with all the attendant waste of resources and danger of bloodshed and destruction.
We send our solidarity to all those campaigning for an end to the war, often under very difficult conditions, in Russia and Ukraine. Stop the War can best support them by demanding a change in Britain’s own policy, which can be seen to have failed.
Religious Groups
Soka Gakkai
Is a Japanese New Religious Group, founded in 1930, which is generally identified as Buddhist. They claim to have 12 million members and to be an organisation promoting "peace, culture and education", although their pacifist credentials have been disputed. Their president, Minoru Harada, released the following statement in February 2022,
The flames of war continue to spread in Ukraine. It is deeply regrettable that civilian casualties are on the rise. Many people's lives, livelihood and dignity have been threatened by the conflict. This is truly tragic. It is heartbreaking to see the dire situation every day. We strongly call for an immediate cessation of hostilities.
I hope that utmost efforts will be made by all countries concerned to prevent the situation from worsening. As a Buddhist, together with Sokai Gakkai members around the World, I am offering fervent prayers for the quickest possible end to the conflict and a return to peace and safety for all.
Anglican Pacifist Fellowship
Was established in 1937 and is based in the UK. In February 2022, they stated,
The Anglican Pacifist Fellowship does not believe that war is ever a way to solve disputes between or within countries. Jesus taught us that we should love our enemies and do good to those that hate us. To use violence against others does not meet with His teaching.
It is therefore with great sadness that we hear of the invasion of Ukraine and of the division and fighting over recent years in the Donbas Region. We think of all the people who will suffer as a result of this conflict, in Ukraine, Russia or surrounding countries.
We hope that even now a peaceful solution will quickly be found and pray for those from many countries who are still working for that outcome. We need to pray also that other countries will not be drawn into this conflict.
We stand with our fellow Christians in both countries caught up in this conflict, Orthodox, Catholic and all other denominations and with other peace-loving people. We pray that God will help them to witness to the message of the Gospel and that this will bring peace and hope to those affected by these dark times.
And we hope that Christians the world over will do what they can to reject violence towards their fellow human beings and fellow Christians. That God will give wisdom to all political leaders, particularly those in Ukraine and Russia, the wisdom to see that war and the horrors that it brings is not the way to settle disputes.
It is possible that their position has changed somewhat since then. Their May 2022 newsletter is fronted by a letter from a trustee of the organisation which concludes with,
Consequently, NATO nations must literally dig
in to repel a hostile Russia. Although pacifists
would not accept this, perhaps to continue
to support Ukraine militarily is the sanest
answer, bearing in mind the great peril the
world is now in; some would say, its moment of
maximum danger. In this we can but regret the
failure of nuclear disarmament campaigns and
continue to support the peace activists working
in this area.
Obviously, the above statements only represent a concise summary of the positions taken by these organisations, and there are many other organisations that I haven't discussed. A detailed discussion of the views of every pacifist in the World is well beyond the scope of this site.