STOP THE WAR IN UKRAINE.
The danger of a full-scale military incursion by the Russian army into Ukraine has stirred up the whole international community. For the third month in a row, the threat of a Russian attack on Ukraine has not disappeared from the front pages of world publications and politicians' agendas, and the number of Russian troops near the Ukrainian border has significantly increased. The build-up was accompanied by alarmist rhetoric regarding Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Russia's planned armed aggression against Ukraine began on 20 February 2014 with a military operation by the Russian Armed Forces to seize part of Ukraine's territory - the Crimean peninsula. Russia also sent troops to support the Russian-led separatist war in Donbas in 2014. Today 7.2% of Ukraine's territory still remains occupied. The size of this land is larger than Switzerland, the Netherlands and Denmark.
The illegal occupation of Crimea was only the first step of the Russian Federation aimed at undermining the independence and sovereignty of Ukraine.
Russia's aggressive policy is not only directed against Ukraine. Russia has violated the territorial integrity of Moldova and Georgia and made territorial claims and readiness to "protect" the Russian-speaking population in the Baltic states. Russia has supported Eurosceptic and radical movements in Europe. Interference by Russia in the electoral process during the 2016 US presidential election, Russian cyberattacks against OSCE, FRG, and France have been claimed. Still today Russia stages a de facto occupation of Belarus with troops probably staying indefinitely and overseeing the constitutional referendum.
The ongoing crisis between Russia and Ukraine escalated at the beginning of 2021, but reached a critical point in late 2021 - early 2022. In December 2021, the Russian Foreign Ministry announced several demands, including a ban on Ukraine joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and a reduction in the number of NATO soldiers and military equipment in Eastern Europe in exchange for the withdrawal of Russian military forces. The US and other NATO members rejected these requests and warned Russia of tougher economic sanctions if it invaded Ukraine. What followed was a period of escalation through misinformation and troop deployment from both NATO and Russian sides
Most Ukrainians have already made their choice of which path they want to follow. The support rate for the EU is the highest since 2014 with 68% of Ukrainians favoring joining the European Union. It is Europe’s responsibility to stand in solidarity with Ukraine and the EU can not stay silent to yet another war happening at its borders. It is also important to stress the responsibility of Western countries that showed a soft and lax policy towards the actions of the Russian government, although Russia has systematically violated international law, interfered in the internal and foreign policy of Eastern Europe, and supported anti-democratic forces throughout Europe and the world.
This policy not only affects the countries of Eastern Europe, but also the political and economic stability of other states around the world.
We strongly condemn the Russian recognition of the self-proclaimed breakaway state LPR and DPR (Donbas and Luhansk republics) and the “friendship, cooperation and assistance treaty”. This decision is a violation of the Minsk peace deal and a violation of international law and territorial integrity. Furthermore, we strongly condemn the escalation of the conflict and this Russian aggression, with most recently, the deployment of Russian troops in these occupied territories.
As Young Greens, we demand that the principles of democracy are followed. We believe interference in internal and foreign policy is unacceptable. The West should side with democracy right now. The US, the UK and the EU should impose immediate and drastic economic sanctions on Russian oligarchs and Putin before waiting any further.
We strongly condemn Russian aggression! We stand in solidarity with Ukraine and other Eastern European countries affected by Russian aggression.
