No War but Class War!

Neither Russia nor NATO! Stop the war in Ukraine! Anti-militarism instead of rearmament!

Demonstration
09.04.2022 | 2 pm | U Unter den Linden

The war of aggression launched by the Russian government against Ukraine has been raging for more than a month. Livelihoods are being destroyed, civilians are being murdered, injured or forced to flee.

In order to bring anti-militarist positions to the streets, we call for a demonstration on Saturday, 9 April at 2pm.

With the war, Russia is pursuing geopolitical goals and wants to assert itself as a great power. Ukraine is of interest to both Russia and the NATO countries as a sphere of influence. All imperialist powers are only concerned with surviving in the competition and consolidating or expanding their areas of domination. Therefore, the answer to the war cannot be the call for NATO or even more armament. We demand the immediate laying down of arms, the withdrawal of all troops and the disarmament of all great powers.

Solidarity with those affected, safe refugee routes for all!

As an alliance, we do not stand with these great powers that fight their wars on the backs of the people. Our solidarity is with those who suffer from wars and those who take to the streets against them. We support the anti-war protests in Russia, where demonstrators are facing harsh repression.

We support the creation of safe escape routes and the reception of all people who have to flee. This also applies to desertors and conscientious objectors who reject killing for the interests of those in power. The same applies to people who, due to structural discrimination at the borders, and also here in Germany, are subjected to special harassment, are prevented from entering or leaving the country, or have been dying and murdered at the militarised external EU borders since many years. This especially affects those affected by racism and discrimination, such as BIPoC (Black, Indigenous, People of Colour), Romn*ja, Sinti*zze and trans people. In addition, women* and girls* are even more confronted with patriarchal violence as a result of the war.

Against the Bundeswehr and NATO, against arms deliveries!

To end or prevent wars, the Bundeswehr must be disarmed instead of rearmed!
The Bundeswehr has not been „cut to the bone“. In the past seven years, its budget has increased by over 44 per cent. Now, an additional special fund of 100,000,000,000 euros is to be made available and military spending is to rise to 2 per cent of GDP, bringing Germany from 7th to 3rd place in global arms spending – the biggest rearmament since the end of the Second World War. Even the first calls for the reintroduction of compulsory military service have been heard in recent weeks. At the same time, there is said to be no money for measures against climate change or for a social policy that would relieve the wage-dependent class. Workers and the poor are hit hardest by price increases and are now supposed to „freeze for freedom“.
Two world wars have shown where German great power ambitions lead. We must resolutely oppose this here and now!

In the end, the arms industry is the main beneficiary of the rearmament of the Bundeswehr and the delivery of further weapons to Ukraine. For years, this industry has been increasing its immense profits and fuelling wars worldwide through its lobbying – on all sides. The shares of the arms manufacturers Rheinmetall, Hensoldt, Heckler & Koch and their consorts are skyrocketing. Germany is one of the biggest arms exporters and, together with NATO, jointly responsible for many humanitarian catastrophes – whether Yugoslavia, Iraq or Afghanistan. These weapons bring nothing to the civilians in the war zones – except a prolongation of the war and an even greater danger when the weapons end up, for example, with the fascist Azov battalion, which is currently training German fascists, amongst others those of the III. Way, in the use of weapons. And Russia’s attacks are also commanded by reactionary forces, while they oppress the population. These are wars of the rich and powerful – and the wage-earning class of all countries suffers.

The further armament of the NATO countries will fuel the military escalation spiral even more. NATO is a war alliance and covers 57 per cent of the world’s military expenditure, together with its cooperating states even 71 per cent. Since 1990, it has increased the number of its member states from 16 to 30 and has expanded significantly towards Eastern Europe. In the process, NATO has stationed massive numbers of troops and war material and, like Russia, has continuously held military manoeuvres. The Russian government is also waging wars, for example in Chechnya and Georgia. The aim of NATO and Russia is to secure their geostrategic dominance.

Against the striving for profit – for a world of solidarity!

Rearmament does not create peace, but drives escalation. The great powers are expanding their influence militarily worldwide. To this end, Germany and the EU are not afraid to support dictatorial regimes like Qatar and Saudi Arabia or Turkey’s war against the Kurds. It is about the enforcement of economic and political interests of various capitalist factions and states – whether Russia, the USA or the EU. For example, the EU Association Agreement was about opening the Ukrainian market to Western products, limited export quotas for Ukrainian goods and privatisation – not freedom of movement or prosperity for all.

Capitalist society with its striving for more profit leads to competition for sales markets and resources. Capitalism leads to war.
That is why we are fighting for a society without class and domination, with solidarity, in which production is oriented towards the needs of all people. For a world without exploitation and oppression. For a world without war.

Let’s take anti-militarist positions to the streets together on 9 April.
Stop the dying of people in all wars! The main enemy stands in our own country!

  • Immediate stop of arms deliveries!
  • Solidarity with all refugees!
  • No rearmament – stop arms production
  • Stop Russia’s attack and all combat operations – Withdraw all Russian troops! Withdraw all NATO troops from countries bordering Russia!
  • Abolish the Bundeswehr and NATO!
  • Overcome capitalism!

Calling groups: