Environmentalists Against War

German Pacifists Protest Sending Tanks to Ukraine

January 27th, 2023 - by The Peace Cooperation Network

Pacifists Protest Sending German Tanks to Ukraine
In support of opposition in the US plan to shipment high-powered tanks to Ukraine, here is a January 25th statement from the German Peace Movement opposing their government’s decision to send Leopard tanks.

Criticism of the German Government’s Tank Decision
The Peace Cooperation Network

(January 25, 2023) — The Peace Cooperation Network considers the German government’s decision to supply battle tanks to Ukraine to be extremely dangerous. It is still clear that the war in Ukraine cannot be decided on the battlefield — peace must be negotiated!

Even or especially in times of war, diplomatic channels must be kept open and used. Because every additional day means more deaths and every death is one too many. If such a dangerous decision has already been made, it must be linked to negotiation initiatives in the direction of Russia and exit scenarios.

Precisely because the danger of the expansion of war is enormous and the probability of the use of nuclear weapons continues to grow — as also shown by the doomsday clock that was reset only yesterday — the Peace Cooperation Network calls for a level-headed reaction and to turn the desire for peace into activities on the streets: February 24, 2023, the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, lends itself to this.

Netzwerk Friedenskooperative is concerned about the increasing hardening of the fronts in the debates surrounding the war in Ukraine. It is justified for people to be concerned about ever more arms deliveries and to wonder what comes after the battle tanks. The rejection of ever more arms deliveries to Ukraine corresponds to the opinion of a large part of the people in Germany, which must be taken seriously.

Despite everything, we are united by the fact that we all want to achieve an end to the war! Only our ideas on how this can be achieved differ. In the end it is clear: Peace is the victory we need!

The peace movement calls for actions on the anniversary of the Russian war of aggression on Ukraine, February 24, 2023.

(Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator)

Stop the Killing in Ukraine –
Call for a Ceasefire and Negotiations!

ACTION: To mark the anniversy of the Russian war, call for the Weekend of Action : February 24-26, 2023

War is a crime against humanity. We condemn Russia’s war of aggression on Ukraine, which violates international law and has led to hundreds of thousands of dead and injured people and millions of refugees since February 24, 2022.

Thousands and thousands more are at risk of falling victim to this war. The shadow of a nuclear war lies over the world. This war, like all others, also impedes the fight against the climate crisis. It is the responsibility and duty of states and peoples to stop the violence.

We stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine. We recognize their right to self-defense. We stand with those who want to break the logic of war, for example through civil resistance, non-violent action, desertion or conscientious objection. All people who want to escape war must find protection through humanitarian visas and asylum.

We demand:

diplomatic initiatives by the German government, the EU, the United Nations, the OSCE and others
a ceasefire and peace negotiations involving all relevant actors
the withdrawl of the Russian military from Ukraine
to do everything possible to prevent a nuclear war and to implement the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons as well as
the phasing out of fossil fuels in order to prevent further financing of the war and to avert the climate catastrophe.

War means death, violence, seeking refuge, rape and torture for those directly affected. It also means food shortages, hunger and poverty for those indirectly affected, especially in the Global South. Increased arms spending, military „special assets,“ threats and further escalation must not be the answer.

Finally, as in any war, it is essential that we become aware of, condemn, and counteract the contributions of Western policies to the conflict. NATO’s far too often confrontational policies, unfair economic, energy and trade policies and, above all, massive armament on all sides must come to an end.

Security and peace for all can only be achieved together and not against each other. International law must take precedence over the power interests of individual states. Stop the killing in Ukraine! For a ceasefire and peace negotiations!

Become Active for a More Peaceful World!
On the weekend of February 24-26, 2023 we call for non-violent and diverse protests for breaking the spiral of violence, for a ceasefire and peace negotiations, against Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine and against the German government’s armament program, with which Germany would soon have one of the largest arms budgets in the world.

Who We Are
We are an alliance of civil society organizations and stand in solidarity with all people who oppose war. We invite all people who want to stand up against war and against armament!

There is no place for people and groups from the nationalistic and anti-democratic spectrum at our actions. Likewise, we do not allow people and groups who are anti-science, who attack journalists, as well as people and groups who adhere to conspiracy myths and/or spread discriminatory messages and group-focused enmity such as racism, anti-Semitism or sexism.