In a candid and wide-ranging interview with Martin Eiermann for The European, Martti Ahtisaari discusses Europe's role in the world, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the 'responsibility to protect', and why egalitarianism always leads to better societies.

"This year’s BRICS summit is a chance for the world’s rising powers to demonstrate their commitment to the people of Syria at their time of greatest need.”

In an opinion piece published in Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, Martti Ahtisaari and Fernando Henrique Cardoso call on the leaders of the five 'BRICS' countries to push for unimpeded humanitarian access to Syria.

"The EU has repeatedly urged Israel to “immediately end all settlement activity”. And yet, by trading with settlements, Europe is inadvertently shoring up their economic viability and contributing to their permanence."

The Elders urge the EU to pressure Israel to end expansion of its illegal settlements. By taking action on settlement products, they argue, Europe can help to safeguard the two-state solution. A version of this article first appeared in The Guardian.

In this article for WAN-INFRA, Martti Ahtisaari and Lakhdar Brahimi explore the recent 'Arab Spring' and the positive outcomes for freedom of expression the peoples' revolutions will bring.

Speaking at the University of Helsinki, Martti Ahtisaari stated his belief that religions play a major role not only in the creation of conflicts, but also in their resolution.