For two months now, we have been experiencing the cruel war in Ukraine, which has already claimed thousands of victims among the civilian population. Destructions and flight, heaviest loads for humans in regions, in which no combat operations take place, are the results. From the first day, the FIR demanded an immediate stop of the fighting and negotiations. After the first weeks of isolated talks for a ceasefire and humanitarian corridors, nothing has been heard for weeks about diplomatic efforts to end the fighting. It is worse!
In the first weeks, European countries were still hesitant to deliver heavy weapons to the war zone because they realize, of course, that additional tanks will not end this war, but only prolong the fighting at the expense of the civilian population. These inhibitions have long since fallen. The U.S. “proudly” announced that it had already delivered weapons of war worth over $2 billion to Ukraine this year. The Federal Republic of Germany is also offering to supply 50 Leopard tanks directly from its armaments production in the coming months – obviously in the perverse hope that the fighting will drag on for as long as it does. From the perspective of NATO and some European states, Ukraine seems to be a lucrative battlefield for the export of armaments.
Against such inhuman logic of war prolongation and high armament, all forces of peace and especially those who are committed to the legacy of the liberation struggle against the Nazi barbarism, must represent today the slogan “Stop the war”!
Let us send a clear signal that people are committed to a European and international peace order based on the principles of respect for mutual security, freedom, democracy, respect for human rights, self-determination and justice. Oppression, war and destruction must not be used as means of politics.
Let us send a clear signal for peace by appealing to the international community of states to work on diplomatic negotiated solutions – not least with the aim of opening up prospects for a new pan-European architecture of common security for all parties involved. At the same time, the states of the European Union have a responsibility to keep their borders open to all people fleeing war and to offer them comprehensive protection and humanitarian assistance.
Let us send a clear signal against a policy of military confrontation, against a new global arms race and against an increase in the arsenals of weapons of mass destruction. We, on the other hand, stand by the goal of general and globally controlled disarmament. Military expenditures must neither be at the expense of social peace nor of the urgently needed future investments in the socio-ecological transformation.
The FIR emphasizes:
Stop the war now! No “hold out slogans”, but protection of the civilian population! Peace and solidarity for all humans and peoples affected by war worldwide!
Against the continuation of the policy of military confrontation and the arms race!
Security and peace exist only through international understanding and common security. The future of all of us is at stake. Only if we succeed in restoring and permanently securing peace will we be able to meet the enormous global challenge facing humanity – the preservation of the natural foundations of life through a successful climate change and a rapid end to the destruction of biodiversity.
If we want to enable future generations to live in peace and security, we must assert today: Never again war – worldwide!