Statement of the IDU on the Russian War against Ukraine
February 24, 2022 has been a turning point. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is an act of terror and a violation of all the conventions of international law. As the International Democrat Union, we stand with our friends in Ukraine, but also with our friends in the Baltic States, Moldova, Georgia, as well as the people of Belarus in this dark hour. The attacks against by Russia against its peaceful neighbors must end immediately.
The attack on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant aims to destroy the energy grid and, at the same time, to destroy the morale of Ukrainians. With this attack, Putin has crossed yet another line by deliberately accepting the danger of nuclear contamination in Ukraine, Russia, and Europe. This is inhumane warfare, for which the Putin regime must be held accountable.
Putin’s narrative of “liberating” and “denazifying” Ukraine while Russia wages a war of extermination against Ukraine’s citizens is deeply contemptible. On the contrary, the fascist acts are those displayed by the regime in the Kremlin itself. The attack on the Holocaust memorial in Babyn Yar is a heinous example of this behaviour.
The history of the 20th century has taught us that a single person can lead humanity to the abyss. Putin’s war on Ukraine is a crime against our history, our present, and our future. It is a human and humanitarian catastrophe, caused without provocation, driven by the desire for power and a contempt for democracy. It is an attack on freedom and democracy itself. It is an attack on Europe. It is an attack on all of us. As societies living in freedom and democracy, we must oppose Putin and his regime with all our strength.
Based on an intensive discussion with IDU members on the current war situation, our Ukrainian partners of the Fatherland Party and the European Solidarity Party have demanded from the international community the rapid implementation of the following measures:
1.) An end to all acts of war and a ceasefire;
2.) A comprehensive no-fly zone over Ukraine;
3.) The establishment of civilian and humanitarian corridors to provide food and medicine to the population of Ukraine;
4.) The rearming and upgrading of the Ukrainian Army and Self-Defense Forces; and
5.) An extension of sanctions against the Putin regime and the financiers of the war.
In the UN General Assembly, we have recently witnessed wide global support for Ukraine. An overwhelming majority of states oppose the criminal regime in Moscow. It is now up to us to continue to stand together, to provide humanitarian and military assistance to Ukraine on the ground, and to welcome refugees from Ukraine into our countries. It is our actions and our unity that will bring down the Putin regime.
As the IDU, we urge our members to join the Kyiv Declaration and show your support to the demands of the Ukrainian civil society: www.kyivdeclaration.org