Two Ukrainian authors threatened to cancel their participation in a writers' congress in New York if Russians discuss on another panel. Masha Gessen has stepped down as vice president of the board of directors of the writers' association PEN America.
Gessen justified his resignation by saying that he did not agree with the cancellation of an event with Russian panelists. PEN explained that a "misunderstanding" had led to the disinvitation of the Russian. Because of the 2022 invasion, the Ukrainians had objected to the participation of any Russian discussants.