Stop Russian aggression on the Ukrainian border!

Resolution of the General Assembly on the Current Situation on the Ukrainian Border

The Russian government has massively strengthened its military presence on Ukraine’s eastern and southern borders as well as on the Belarusian-Ukrainian border in recent weeks. Troop units from other Russian military districts have been transferred there along with heavy equipment. Satellite-based estimates of Russian troop strength near the border range from several tens of thousands to 100,000 soldiers.

Increased Russian military movements can also be observed in other parts of Europe. The Scandinavian states in particular are concerned and are making preparations to counter any feared Russian aggression.

The background to this development are demands by the Russian government for security guarantees for its western border. The core points of these demands are a renunciation of extensions of NATO territory – especially in the case of Ukraine – and a far-reaching withdrawal of the USA from the Baltic States, Poland, Romania and all other countries in Eastern Europe.

The situation has worsened in recent weeks. The annexation of Crimea and the Kremlin’s support for the armed separatists in the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Lugansk show that the government in Moscow is not afraid to back up its territorial and political demands militarily.

After extensive discussion, the members of We are Europe! have determined their position as follows:

  1. We reject Putin’s concept of spheres of influence, according to which large states have the imperial right to dictate their political orientation to neighbouring smaller states. This concept stems from the Soviet geopolitics of the Cold War and has been outdated since the disintegration of the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact. Under no circumstances can it be used today to undermine the right of peoples to self-determination. This also and especially applies to the Ukrainian people.
  2. We reject the Russian government’s approach to emphasise its demands for security guarantees by building up a military backdrop of threats. The invasion, occupation and a fortiori annexation of neighbouring regions or states, as practised by Russia in Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, for example, have been rightly outlawed in Europe since the end of the Second World War and will remain so. Even the undoubtedly terrible suffering of the Russian people in this war cannot justify this policy – on the contrary.
  3. Should the government of Russia not abide by these rules, which it itself has accepted under international law, it excludes itself from this peaceful post-war order.
  4. We are convinced: Russia is an important and valuable part of European history and culture and must remain so. We offer conversation, exchange and mutual visits to all citizens of the Russian Federation at any time. However, such dialogue presupposes that we as a pro-European non-governmental organisation are not harassed, denigrated as “foreign agents” or even persecuted by the authorities during visits or appointments in the Russian Federation.

Düsseldorf, 27 January 2022

Addendum: In mid-December 2013, a delegation from We are Europe! travelled to Kyiv to support the “Euromaidan”; read  the report here.