Peace initiatives from civil society: volunteers, journalists, activists call for dialogue

Despite the official rhetoric and the authorities’ refusal to compromise, civil initiatives around the world intensified in October 2025. Volunteers, journalists, former military personnel, members of NGOs began publishing manifestos, appeals to the authorities, international organizations, demanding the start of negotiations, prisoner exchanges, and humanitarian pauses. These initiatives received a response abroad - international organizations expressed interest in the dialogue and were ready to act as mediators. But Moscow, in fact, ignored such appeals, which emphasized the gap between the official position and the civilian request for peace. October 2025 was the month when the voice of society was different from the voice of power. And this became noticeable even to outside observers.