The war in Ukraine is entering its fifth year. Since Russia invaded the country in violation of international law, death and destruction have reigned. NATO’s confrontational policies and its long-standing refusal to seek a lasting and peaceful solution through diplomatic channels have contributed to the loss of so many lives.
The people of Russia and Ukraine are fed up with war. Mothers no longer want to feed the war machine with their children. It is good that negotiations are taking place, but every day that is lost claims new human lives. We call on the parties at the negotiating table to come to their senses and put an end to the bloodshed. All parties involved must take responsibility, Russia, Ukraine and others. Control over a square metre of land is not worth a human life. Until a lasting agreement is reached, a ceasefire is urgently needed and attacks on civilian infrastructure must stop.
We call on the European Union and NATO to refrain from positions and actions that complicate the negotiations. We recall that NATO’s long-standing policy of expansion is one of the root causes of tensions with Russia. Western political leaders still predominantly believe that Russia must be weakened, even after a peace agreement. This means continued armament and a hostile image of Russia. They bear a great responsibility for choosing to fuel the conflict with weapons instead of de-escalating it. On the front lines, young people are being torn away from their families to operate the weapons that are so eagerly supplied, not to bring about peace, but to serve geopolitical interests and their military-industrial complex.
We condemn the way in which the war is being exploited to militarise the European continent. The arms industry is making mega-profits by cannibalising public spending that is necessary for public services, social and environmental protection.
We oppose rising military spending and the general militarisation of our societies. More troops, more weapons, more NATO will not bring peace and security, but will normalise war.
Russia is part of the European continent and will always remain our neighbour. Negotiations for peace in Ukraine must be accompanied by a political process for a different security architecture in Europe that is inclusive, based on political and economic cooperation and on respect for human rights and the sovereign equality and independence of states. In this new constellation, we will make NATO obsolete and abandon the idea of a heavily militarised EU. Peace and stability do not come from the barrel of a gun, but are the result of confidence-building measures, arms control and social justice.
We call on the media and politicians to shake off the war fever and stop feeding the climate of fear. Our young people need prospects for a peaceful and sustainable future in which solidarity and justice are the central values!