The tragic war which continues to unfold in Ukraine is the culmination of imperialism’s increasingly reckless drive to militarism and open conflict.
The shameful Russian invasion followed and was provoked by decades of NATO aggression and expansionism into Eastern Europe and years of provocations in Ukraine since the USA-EU backed coup of 2014.
The conflict in Eastern Ukraine and Putin’s subsequent invasion have caused atrocities and civilian casualties on both sides. As ever, the victims of imperialist war are working people.
Instead of aiming for peace and deescalation, the USA, Britain, the EU and NATO are working to create a protracted and costly war in Ukraine, funnelling billions of pounds worth of arms and military aid into the region. The winners in this are the massive arms manufacturers and financial interests who control and dictate to western governments.
NATO, the aggressive nuclear first strike alliance which cynically provoked the crisis, with the Ukrainian people as their sacrificial pawn, now shamelessly exploits the situation, with the help of state and monopoly media, to declare itself and its enlargement to be the only solution.
The announcement of plans to absorb Sweden and Finland into the alliance represents a further dangerous escalation and drive towards a militarised Europe on the brink of ever greater conflict. It should never be forgotten that these conflicts between nuclear armed states risk global annihilation whether by accidental or cruel use of these weapons.
The world will be a more dangerous place if this expansion takes place. USA, British and EU imperialism, organised in the NATO alliance, are the fundamental threat to peace and national sovereignty today.
The youth of Britain and the world reject NATO militarism and war and demand an end to the conflict in Ukraine. NATO can’t expand. It must be dismantled by working people. We stand hand in hand with our comrades and young people across the world fighting for peace.
We’re calling for:
- An immediate ceasefire in Ukraine and peace negotiations.
- Immediate withdrawal from NATO and the web of US imperialism, and NATO’s immediate withdrawal from Britain.
- A foreign policy which is based on peace, cooperation and international development, not war and extortion.
- Unilateral nuclear disarmament by Britain.
- Withdrawal of all British military personnel from abroad and the closure of all foreign bases.
- The reallocation of the defence budget for peaceful purposes including health, education, housing and job creation.
No to war and imperialism!
Join the struggle for lasting peace!
In comradeship
Central Committee
Young Communist League
25 May 2022
London, Britain
