US writer Anne Applebaum appeals for arms for Ukraine as she accepts German peace prize

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — The prominent American journalist and historian Anne Applebaum urged continued support for Ukraine as she accepted a prestigious German prize on Sunday, arguing that pacifism in the face of aggression is often nothing more than appeasement.

Applebaum made her appeal to an audience in Frankfurt, where she was awarded the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade. She was joined by her husband, Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski, who like his wife is a strong voice on the international stage for supporting Ukraine as it defends itself against Russia's brutal invasion.

“If there is even a small chance that military defeat could help end this horrific cult of violence in Russia, just as military defeat once brought an end to the cult of violence in Germany, we should take it,” Applebaum said.

Many Germans have embraced an ethos of pacifism as a result of their nation's aggression under Adolf Hitler during World War II. And many have misgivings now about supplying weapons to Kyiv, fearing Russia and worried that it could cause the war to spread beyond Ukraine's borders to the rest of Europe.

“Some even call for peace by referring solemnly to the ‘lessons of German history,” Applebaum noted, according to a transcript of her speech published by the prize organization.

“As I am here today accepting a peace prize, this seems the right moment to point out that ‘I want peace’ is not always a moral argument," Applebaum said. “This is also the right moment to say that the lesson of German history is not that Germans should be pacifists."

"On the contrary, we have known for nearly a century that a demand for pacifism in the face of an aggressive, advancing dictatorship can simply represent the appeasement and acceptance of that dictatorship.”

She argued that the “real lesson” from German history should be that Germans "have a special responsibility to stand up for freedom and to take risks in doing so.”

The prize, which is endowed with 25,000 euros ($27,185), was awarded in St. Paul's Church in Frankfurt — which is considered the birthplace of German parliamentary democracy — at the end of the Frankfurt Book Fair.

The prize has been awarded since 1950. It honours individuals who have contributed to turning the idea of peace into reality through literature, science or art. Last year’s prize was awarded to British-Indian writer Salman Rushdie for his perseverance despite enduring decades of threats and violence.

The German news agency dpa reported that Applebaum's strong support for continuing to arm Ukraine triggered some criticism, citing Karin Schmidt-Friderichs, the head of the German Publishers and Booksellers Association, which awards the prize.

Nonetheless she received strong applause for her speech, dpa reported from Frankfurt.

Following pacifism to its logical conclusion, Applebaum argued, would "mean that we should acquiesce to the military conquest of Ukraine, to the cultural destruction of Ukraine, to the construction of concentration camps in Ukraine, to the kidnapping of children in Ukraine.”

Applebaum writes for The Atlantic magazine. She has written books that focus on totalitarianism in Eastern Europe, including “The Gulag," and “The Iron Curtain” and “Red Famine,” about dictator Joseph Stalin's war on Ukraine. She recently published “Autocracy, Inc. The Dictators Who Want to Run the World.” In 2004, she was awarded the prestigious Pulitzer Prize.

The prize jury said Applebaum’s analyses of communist and post-communist systems in the Soviet Union and Russia reveal “the mechanisms by which authoritarians grab hold of power and maintain their control.”

The laudation for Applebaum was delivered by the Russian historian Irina Scherbakova, a founding member of the human rights organization Memorial, which is now banned in Russia and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022.

Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

American journalist and historian Anne Applebaum, left, is awarded with the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade by Karin Schmidt-Friderichs, head of the German Publishers and Booksellers Association during a ceremony at the St. Paul's Church in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024.(AP Photo/Martin Meissner, Pool)

American journalist and historian Anne Applebaum, left, is awarded with the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade by Karin Schmidt-Friderichs, head of the German Publishers and Booksellers Association during a ceremony at the St. Paul's Church in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024.(AP Photo/Martin Meissner, Pool)

American journalist and historian Anne Applebaum claps hands with her husband Poland's Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski during the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade ceremony for Anne Applebaum at the St. Paul's Church in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024.(AP Photo/Martin Meissner, Pool)

American journalist and historian Anne Applebaum gets standing ovations after she was awarded the Peace Prize of the German Publishers and Booksellers Association during a ceremony at the St. Paul's Church in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024.(AP Photo/Martin Meissner, Pool)

American journalist and historian Anne Applebaum delivers a speech after she was awarded the Peace Prize of the German Publishers and Booksellers Association during a ceremony at the St. Paul's Church in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024.(AP Photo/Martin Meissner, Pool)

Russian Memorial founder Irina Scherbakowa delivers the laudatio for American journalist and historian Anne Applebaum who is awarded the Peace Prize of the German Publishers and Booksellers Association during a ceremony at the St. Paul's Church in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024.(AP Photo/Martin Meissner, Pool)

American journalist and historian Anne Applebaumholds a speech afters was awarded the Peace Prize of the German Publishers and Booksellers Association during a ceremony at the St. Paul's Church in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024.(AP Photo/Martin Meissner, Pool)

American journalist and historian Anne Applebaum delivers a speech after she was awarded the Peace Prize of the German Publishers and Booksellers Association during a ceremony at the St. Paul's Church in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024.(AP Photo/Martin Meissner, Pool)

American journalist and historian Anne Applebaum arrives with her husband Poland's Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski at the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade ceremony for Anne Applebaum at the St. Paul's Church in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024.(AP Photo/Martin Meissner, Pool)

American journalist and historian Anne Applebaum, left, is awarded with the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade by Karin Schmidt-Friderichs, head of the German Publishers and Booksellers Association during a ceremony at the St. Paul's Church in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024.(AP Photo/Martin Meissner, Pool)

American journalist and historian Anne Applebaum delivers a speech after she was awarded the Peace Prize of the German Publishers and Booksellers Association during a ceremony at the St. Paul's Church in Frankfurt, Germany, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024.(AP Photo/Martin Meissner, Pool)

LONDON (AP) — Jacksonville receiver Parker Washington scampered 96 yards for the longest punt return touchdown in Jaguars history, the feat coming Sunday against the New England Patriots at Wembley Stadium.

Washington turned at the goal line and did a “Nestea plunge” backward into the end zone. The touchdown and subsequent two-point conversion gave Jacksonville a 22-10 lead.

Washington, handling punt return duties for the injured Devin Duvernay, retreated to catch a 57-yard punt at the Jacksonville 4, went straight and then left to avoid two tacklers into open space. He cruised past punter Bryce Baringer at midfield and was in the clear.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Parker Washington (11) returns a punt for a 96-yard touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in London. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

Teammates cheer as Jacksonville Jaguars' Parker Washington (11) falls into the endzone for a 96-yard touchdown on a punt return during the first half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in London. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

Jacksonville Jaguars' Parker Washington breaks from New England Patriots punter Bryce Baringer (17) to score on a 96-yard punt return during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in London. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Jacksonville Jaguars' Parker Washington breaks through the New England Patriots defense for a 96-yard punt return for a touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in London. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Teammates cheer as Jacksonville Jaguars' Parker Washington (11) falls into the endzone for a 96-yard touchdown on a punt return during the first half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, in London. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)