CERN ends cooperation with Russian scientists

The European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) logo is pictured on a car in Meyrin near Geneva, Switzerland, April 13, 2022. REUTERS/Pierre Albouy

The European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) will end cooperation with up to 500 scientists affiliated with Russian institutions, it said on Monday, because of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Swiss-based CERN, best known for its studies in particle physics and its Large Hadron Collider, will not renew its cooperation agreement with Russia when it ends on November 30 2024.

The decision means around 400 to 500 scientists linked to Russian laboratories will no longer be able to collaborate with CERN, a spokesperson said.

Cooperation with around 15 Belarussian scientists has also been stopped.

"CERN is an international organisation, but it is not an island. It's not acceptable to support scientific research when wars are taking place between countries which once had staff who worked together at CERN," the spokesperson said.

"When the war broke out, all activities were suspended," the spokesperson added. "Now the decision has become more formal."

Russia has previously criticised the decision, saying it was politicised, discriminatory and unacceptable.

Russian scientists will be able to continue to work at CERN if they are affiliated with non-Russian institutes, with around 90 having done so.

CERN collaborates with around 17,000 researchers globally.