In recent weeks, we – IUSY (the International Union of Socialists Youth), and YES (the Young European Socialists) – have been watching the developing situation along the Ukrainian-Russian border with deep concern. Along the Ukrainian-Russian border, Russia has carried out a significant military build-up, including the deployment of offensive weapons and undertaking reinforced trainings and military exercises. According to reports, Russia has continued to concentrate more intelligence units, special operations and marine forces along both the border, and in the occupied Crimea and Donbas. Finally, we have witnessed the propagation of intensified extensive and virulent disinformation campaigns against Ukraine and NATO, and the perpetration of cyber-attacks upon Ukrainian governmental websites.
Considering these worrying circumstances, we conclude that the current aggressions from Russia and the corresponding uncertainty arising from this render impossible peace in the region of the Donbas and Ukraine, and endanger it for the rest of Europe.
The current Russian military mobilisation and presence along the Ukrainian border, and the undertaking of a joint Russian/Belarussian military manoeuvre represents a threat to Ukraine and its people, against both state security and state sovereignty. IUSY and YES support the territorial integrity of Ukraine, as well as the independence and sovereignty of the Ukrainian democracy. We recall and affirm the principle of constitutional consent, and strongly believe the people’s choice for a future of democratic stability and prosperity in Ukraine must be respected. We believe that the current threat against the Ukrainian people feeds the vicious circle of the post-Soviet power-struggle for hegemony in Eastern Europe; Russia willingly risks a violent escalation in this pursuit. Russia’s actions are attempts to destabilise the region and expand its influence while disregarding democratic sovereignty in independent states, which is unacceptable.
Therefore, as an immediate first step to prevent escalation and minimise conflict, we demand the halt of any Russian military manoeuvres in the region, an end to the deployment of offensive weapons, and the withdrawal of any irregular Russian troops from the Eastern-Ukrainian border. As young socialists, we firmly believe that peace can be secured through dialogue and negotiations.
We express our solidarity with the Ukrainian people and our comrades, support every means of international dialogue to secure peace and stability in the region and especially reinforce the reinstallation of the Trilateral Contact Group and the Normandy Format.