Ukrainians must be at the negotiating table
Any decent-minded person must be outraged that Putin and Trump are negotiating to end the war in Ukraine without the Ukrainians at the negotiating table. Trump and Putin are fellow-dictators, intent on partitioning and exploiting Ukraine for their own purposes, including robbing its natural resources. Nothing should be decided about the future of Ukraine without Ukrainian voices being heard and Ukrainians being able to vote on the settlement.
Oppose all imperialisms and annexations
We must oppose a world in which superpowers treat other countries as their personal property, with no respect for the people who live there. Trump has threatened to occupy Gaza, Greenland and the Panama Canal. Putin has invaded Ukraine and threatens other countries which were part of the Tsarist empire or the Soviet Union. The workers’ movement must be consistently anti-imperialist, always on the side of the oppressed and opposed to super power bullying.
What sort of peace?
Those who argue for peace at any price are ignoring the war crimes being committed against Ukrainians in the Russian-occupied territories. Ukrainians living under occupation are being subjected to compulsory Russification. They are being forced to take Russian passports to obtain healthcare and pensions. Some Ukrainians in the occupied territories are being abducted, imprisoned, tortured and killed. This is not peace for Ukrainians; it is continued oppression. We oppose Trump’s proposal for Ukraine to pay off its war debt by handing over rare minerals to the US.
A Just and Lasting Peace
A just and lasting peace means security for Ukraine, withdrawal of Russian troops, and an end to occupations and no annexations. Without a secure peace, there is a real danger that the Russian Federation will resume war on Ukraine and maybe invade other neighbouring countries. It means support for the reconstruction of Ukraine, building a society with respect for workers’ rights and human rights.
Russian troops out of Ukraine: Build solidarity
No to partition, occupations and annexations. Russian troops must withdraw from Ukrainian territory and stay out. The labour movement world-wide must keep demonstrating for an end to the invasion of Ukraine and in support of Ukraine’s right to national self-determination. Cancel Ukraine’s debt!
Ukraine needs humanitarian and military aid to sustain its culture and society and to resist Russian imperialism. Trade unions, student unions and community organisations can organise regular aid to support Ukraine, building solidarity to resist imperialist occupation.
Already the backsliding begins. ITV news is reporting that the Government has changed one point in the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill. They have accepted that academies will retain their ‘freedom’ to set their own pay scales for teachers. So the criteria in the School Teachers Pay and Conditions document will only apply to teachers in Local Authority schools. Why have the Government climbed down on this issue? It’s not as if this is a major financial problem for academies. But what will be the next change/climb down by the Government? Will academies be exempt from the National Curriculum? Will Local Authorities be able to build schools according to the needs of their communities or will all new schools, as at present, have to be academies?