The Socialist Labour Network condemns the Russian invasion of Ukraine. We call for an immediate ceasefire and for all Russian armed forces to immediately withdraw.
The working classes of Russia and Ukraine have nothing to gain from war and will pay the biggest price. Despite the terrible situation caused by the intensification of rival nationalisms, we support the building of unity among workers across national boundaries. The workers of Ukraine and Russia have common interests.
We call for the abolition of NATO as an offensive imperialist alliance.
We call for Britain’s unilateral nuclear disarmament and the scrapping of Trident.
We stand in solidarity with those in Russia who have protested against the invasion, despite police repression. We support the building of a mass anti-war movement, including among Russian troops.
We support workers in Ukraine acting independently of the Zelenski regime and building their own organisations and taking independent action. We condemn the actions of Zelensky in banning 11 left-wing parties.
We condemn any far right or fascist group, on either side of this conflict, seeking to take advantage of the war to build their own organisation.
In particular we condemn the supply of weapons and training to Ukraine’s neo-Nazi Azov Battalion by the United States, Britain and Israel. The Azov battalion has been integrated into Ukraine’s armed forces and is part of the Ukrainian state. Ukraine is the only state in the world to hold a national holiday in memory of a Nazi collaborator, Stepan Bandera, whose forces were responsible for the deaths of at least 200,000 Jews, Gypsies and Poles during the war.
This war is a proxy conflict between Russia and the United States, prompted by NATO expansion into central and Eastern Europe. We oppose this expansion and any intervention in this conflict by NATO forces. Ukraine should become a neutral state which is not aligned militarily with either Russia or NATO.
We oppose sanctions against Russia. Economic sanctions will disproportionately hit Russian workers and may well strengthen support for Putin.
We note the hypocrisy of those in the UK government criticising the state repression of protest in Russia whilst the Police, Crime and Sentencing Bill will serve to create similar restrictions on protest and democracy in the UK.
We note the hypocrisy of those who call sanction on Israel ‘anti-Semitic’ at the very same time that starvation sanctions are being levelled on Russia.
We note the hypocritical criticism of Russia for its invasion of Ukraine by those who are supporting the bombing of Yemen by Saudi Arabia.
We call for refugees from this and other conflicts to be welcomed.
We condemn the attempts by Keir Starmer to shut down such discussion on NATO within the Labour Party and to bully and threaten those with different views.
We support the right of secession of the 2 breakaway republics, Donetsk and Luhansk in the face of attacks on ethnic Russians and Russian speaking Ukranians
In summary:
Russia, hands off Ukraine. Immediate withdrawal of occupation forces.
Solidarity with the people of Ukraine in defence of their democratic rights.
No trust in NATO, the EU, Biden or Johnson.
Self-determination for the peoples of Donbass and Crimea on the basis of a genuinely democratic referendum.
Mutual demilitarisation of the border territories on either side.
Unity of the workers of Russia and the Ukraine to overthrow their corrupt reactionary oppressors.