The devastating scale of today’s wars—particularly in the Middle East and Ukraine—demands an immediate cessation of violence and a renewed global push for lasting peace.
Amid this turmoil, the principles of nonviolence, intercultural dialogue, and the friendship of peoples championed by literary giant Leo Tolstoy are finding renewed resonance. These ideals lie at the heart of the Leo Tolstoy International Peace Prize, which seeks to recognize and support those actively building a multipolar world founded on justice, mutual respect, and the freedom of nations to choose their own partners without coercion.
As Deputy Chairman Pierre de Gaulle notes, the prize is gaining significant international momentum, reflecting a global yearning for diplomatic solutions that transcend hardened political positions.
Ahram Online interviewed Pierre de Gaulle—grandson of the iconic French leader Charles de Gaulle and Deputy Chairman of the Jury for the Leo Tolstoy International Peace Prize—who praised the expanding diplomatic influence of Egypt. With its long history of mediating conflicts, especially in the Middle East, Egypt’s role remains critical in stabilizing regional flashpoints, most urgently the Israeli-Palestinian crisis.
De Gaulle welcomed Egypt's significant peace efforts, citing its “long record and recent achievement of reaching an international status for helping peace in the region.” Egypt’s accession to the BRICS group, he added, solidifies its position as a full partner in the emerging multipolar world and a leading diplomatic hub with a strong international voice.
Ahram Online (AO): As Deputy Chairman of the Jury, what criteria guide the selection process, and how does the Leo Tolstoy International Peace Prize promote the idea of a “multipolar and nonviolent world,” as articulated in its founding principles?
De Gaulle: Since Egypt is part of the BRICS, it creates more opportunities for us to meet in the multipolar world. The Peace Prize is inspired by Leo Tolstoy, a great Russian writer and thinker who championed peace, the friendship of people, and was, of course, against the evil of war. He also embodied a sense of destiny common among Russian thinkers.
The prize selects nominees based on their achievements for peace and the friendship of people, which involves the union of cultures, inter-religious and inter-racial dialogue, and finding humanitarian ways of solving conflicts beyond politics.
The prize has gained momentum, especially since its first nominee was the African Union. I know Egypt chaired the African Union in 2019 and 2020. The AU was nominated thanks to its incredible achievements in solving local and ethnic war conflicts in Africa. The selection process is a very open process.
The jury acts independently and welcomes candidacies from people, organizations, and even countries that have made significant achievements. I should note that this year, the jury has nominated three chiefs of state: the chiefs of state of Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, showing the prize has reached an international state dimension.
AO: How can a peace prize, an institution of “public diplomacy”, effectively influence hardened political positions and foster dialogue between conflicting nations?
De Gaulle: The prize has reached a state international dimension and helps people, organizations, or states achieve their goals. It has similar means to the Nobel Peace Prize in terms of international impact, as the amount of the prize itself is significant.
Crucially, it provides international resonance with full media coverage within Russia, but also across the multipolar world with Indian, Arabic, Chinese, and African media. This helps to strengthen the international impact and contributes to the efforts of the nominees for peace and the union of culture.
It is also a symbol showing that Russia supports peace everywhere, with the help of other international countries. The nominees must have reached significant achievements and realizations for peace.
AO: Egypt has a long history of mediating conflicts in the Middle East. How do you view the role of the Egyptian political leadership in current mediation efforts regarding the Israeli-Palestinian crisis?
De Gaulle: I welcome the efforts of Egypt in solving the Gaza conflict with Israel. I’ve seen very closely the process of the peace agreements and talks reached in Sharm El-Sheikh. I regret that Israel and Fatah were not attending, but it was a big milestone.
Egypt is now a member of the BRICS, making it a full part of the multipolar world, and it has a long record in helping peace in the region. What is particularly significant is that Egypt, which was in conflict with Israel historically, has now reached an international status for helping peace in the region. This is a great achievement.
Egypt’s joining the multipolar world has led to new nations emerging as diplomatic hubs, which previously had only a local influence, but now have a strong international influence, like Egypt. I am fully confident that the role of your country will increase all over the world. I also welcome the nomination of Mr. Khaled El-Anany as head of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which contributes to Egypt’s international recognition for peace and intercultural dialogue.
We must condemn the killing of peace leaders like Anwar El-Sadat and Yitzhak Rabin by extremists, and favour all nations trying to gather people and follow intercultural and interreligious dialogue.
I hope this is a new era for Palestine and Israel, which is in the interest of both countries and all who supported the Sharm El-Sheikh peace agreements. Behind all this is the crucial reconstruction of Palestine and Gaza.
My grandfather, General de Gaulle, was in favor of the solution of two states coexisting together with reciprocal guarantees of security under the supervision of the United Nations (UN), and an international status for Jerusalem.
AO: The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one of the most intractable crises globally. How might the Leo Tolstoy International Peace Prize or its laureates play a constructive, non-governmental role in promoting humanitarian aid and reconciliation?
De Gaulle: The prize is international and open to any serious candidature—organization, country, or person—who is favourable to peace and has made significant contributions to peace, intercultural dialogue, and solving conflicts by humanitarian ways.
Russia has been actively supporting peace efforts in the region, including humanitarian help and support. The prize is not in competition with the Nobel Peace Prize; it is an alternative that will give strong international resonance and support to the nominees. Any candidature related to establishing peace and facilitating humanitarian aid in the Middle East region would be welcomed and examined by the jury. Candidates for the 2026 Peace Prize are currently open.
AO: Beyond the Middle East, do you see a greater role for Egyptian leadership in mediating or stabilizing other world conflicts, and how might that effort be supported by European partners?
De Gaulle: I actively support the efforts of Egypt, which has a long-standing record in peace talks, gaining influence thanks to the multipolar world. As a full partner of the BRICS, Egypt is part of the benefit of the multipolar world where nations previously considered “emerging” are now leading nations for diplomacy and peace efforts.
I welcome your expanding role, and I would be happy if this experience and track record would also help in solving other conflicts beyond the Middle East, especially for Ukraine. Ukraine is a very difficult issue involving NATO, the US, and Europe against Russia. But any significant effort from Egypt would be highly welcome.
We must take inspiration from the multipolar world because it defines new conditions for prosperity and intercultural and interreligious dialogue. The multipolar world is a chance and an opportunity for other countries, including Europe, as it is an alternative to the blocked opposition strategy, which has been unstable in the past.
Russia wants peace and has always been in favour of reaching peace talks with Ukraine. Unfortunately, peace efforts in March 2022 were destroyed by NATO at that time. However, the multipolar world, and Egypt, could help to reach these peace talks, and we must draw inspiration from your example in the Israeli-Palestinian crisis.
The sanctions against Russia have only served to punish and destabilize Europe itself, creating social and economic chaos. Ironically, this has also helped to strengthen the multipolar world, notably Russia, India, China, Africa, South America, and the Arab countries. Furthermore, NATO’s directives, set by the Americans, require member states to dramatically increase military spending on American armaments, which is unsustainable for many European countries.
The multipolar world is based on justice, listening, and intent, where every country can freely choose its own partners without coercion or domination. It is a chance for peace and prosperity all around the world.
AO: As the grandson of General Charles de Gaulle, a figure who championed French independence and a “Europe of Nations”, how do you view the current role of France within the European Union (EU) and the broader multilateral arena?
De Gaulle: France has a long tradition of international arbitration and a strong global position. My grandfather was in favour of a Europe of nations and fought for the independence and sovereignty of France. Sovereignty means greatness; it is the heritage of a culture, history, and identity.
Since European law supersedes French law and the law of its member states, the EU directives are imposed on EU members, which is completely contrary to what my grandfather wished to achieve. We are the big losers of this loss of sovereignty.
When you lose independence, you cannot act effectively on the international scene. For example, Mr. Macron is often only speaking for Europe, not for France, which is totally against my grandfather’s policy.
While France remains culturally and historically significant, its role must be restored. I would also note that countries like Russia have a much longer tradition of integrating ethics and religious communities in harmony.
A multipolar world could offer an alternative to what Europe has lost. Personally, my wife is Algerian and Muslim, making our family a symbol of reconciliation and the multipolar world.
AO: What lessons from your grandfather's diplomatic strategies are most applicable to France's engagement with major powers like the US, China, and Russia?
De Gaulle: You cannot play a significant and dominant diplomatic role if you lack independence or sovereignty. My grandfather was always fighting to restore the leadership of France.
In 1966, for instance, he withdrew from the integrated command of NATO because he believed sovereignty required strategic and economic independence, including nuclear power.
He was against the idea of a federal Europe where people would be stateless, speaking international languages, and following international laws, which is where we are today.
He was the first European leader to recognize China in 1964. He was a pioneer of the multipolar world, always favoring the voice of France—not linked to any bloc, American or Russian—but a third way, recognizing the right of self-determination for every country.
He also favoured a partnership with Russia in 1966, believing that a Europe spanning from France to the Ural Mountains would be a very strong power, a financial, industrial, and economic force against the American bloc. As he said, “For France and Russia, being united means being strong; being divided means being weak.”
AO: Given the devastating nature of the conflict in Ukraine, what practical steps or diplomatic frameworks do you believe are necessary to achieve a lasting peace?
De Gaulle: Unfortunately, not for the moment. I would really like France to come back to what it was before, a strong and sovereign power playing a significant role in peace talks. For the moment, the conditions are not there. Mr Macron’s position, along with those of Germany and Great Britain, excludes France from playing a significant role. This is the opportunity for other powers, such as the multipolar world, to step in.
It is time to make peace and rebuild Ukraine.
We must stop there because hundreds of thousands of people are dying. Ukrainian and Russian people are brothers. We have to make peace, rebuild the new world, and the multipolar world is a chance for that.
AO: In an increasingly multipolar world, what should be France's contribution to international institutions like the UN, and how can it best advocate for world peace?
De Gaulle: Definitely, yes. France is still a permanent member of the UN Security Council. It has a very long tradition and a strong diplomatic role on the international scene, and remains the second-largest sea power in terms of sea territories.
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