Activists Compare Putin's Policy to JFK's Peacemaking Efforts in Letter

MOSCOW, December 17 (Sputnik) — An open letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin posted anonymously on the Internet lashes out at the United States for trying to draw Russia into a war, and compares Putin’s foreign policy to the peacemaking efforts of former US President John F Kennedy.

According to the letter, Kennedy’s goal was to achieve a "genuine peace, the kind of peace that makes life on earth worth living," rather than an ill-conceived "Pax Americana" (American Peace).

The letter added that Putin, just like Kennedy, seeks to replace a unipolar, US-dominated world order with multipolar leadership, based on international cooperation.

In addition, the letter, posted on the website dearputin.com, stressed that western nations, led by Washington, “seem determined to start a war with Russia.” The authors of the letter praised Putin’s policy, that is seen as keeping Russia from being drawn into a nuclear war in the face of an “endless stream of lies and provocations.”

The message, signed by almost 60,000 people from all over the world, cited the unfolding conflict in Ukraine, the shooting of the Malaysian airliner over the country, and the string of deadly clashes between Israelis and Palestinians as examples of Washington's disruptive global policies.

The authors of the letter claim the military conflict in Ukraine was "twisted" to cast Russia as an aggressor, and is a ploy to distract people's attention from pressing domestic issues in the United States.

"As long as the people are focused on 'Russian aggression' they remain unaware of those truly responsible for the decline of the American economy and social system," the message said.

The letter further accused EU nations of following America's lead in misrepresenting Russia's actions regarding Ukraine. It also condemned western financial and political support for the "neo-Nazi gangs" running rampant in Ukraine since the February coup.

The activists also bashed Washington for describing Russia's efforts to bring humanitarian aid to the war-hit eastern Ukrainian provinces of Luhansk and Donetsk as arms trafficking.

"You offer humanitarian aid to the people of Luhansk and you are accused of smuggling weapons into Ukraine," the authors of the letter stated.

The activists’ call for peace appears to be in response to months of deteriorating relations between Russia and the West over the alleged political and military involvement of Russia in the Ukrainian crisis, an involvement repeatedly denied by Moscow officials. The letter came amid reports that NATO has been ramping up troops on Russian borders and within territories close to Ukraine.