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Ukraine: Ten Demands to Return to Peace




Published 19 March 2022

1. The UNGA, meeting under urgency on 2 March 2022, adopted, by 141 votes in favour, 5 against and 35 abstentions, a resolution ordering a stop to fighting and the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine. This resolution must be implemented immediately and fully.

2. The war of aggression waged by Vladimir Putin against Ukraine, in contradiction with the Assurances given to it on the 5 December 1994 by the Budapest Memorandum and with the UN Charter, must be condemned immediately, without reservations and without prejudice to any judicial procedures relating to non-respect for International Humanitarian Law.

3. The threats of nuclear war uttered by Vladimir Putin in contraction with the January 03, 2022, Joint Statement of the Leaders of the Five Nuclear-Weapon States on Preventing Nuclear War and Avoiding Arms Races, must be condemned, and the placing of nuclear forces on high alert must be immediately cancelled by him.

4. The Russian army must cease fire immediately, cease all bombardments, halt the encircling of cities, and stop its offensive in Ukraine without delay.

5. The Russian army must withdraw back into Russia, as a precondition for any negotiation on the conditions for lasting peace in the region, in Europe and in the world.

6. The Ukrainian army must cease fire as soon as the Russian army does so, and permit the Russian forces to withdraw into Russia without combat; and Ukraine must commit, subject to a reciprocal commitment, not to attack or invade Russia, and to respect fully the human rights of the Russian-speaking populations.

7. The peaceful actions taken against the war by Russian citizens or military personnel must be supported and protected against repression. Scientists, sportspeople, artists, journalists and ordinary citizens must be able to take part in international scientific, sporting or cultural events and to freely express their opinions about the war provoked by Vladimir Putin, as Marina Ovsyannikova has done.

8. The governments of the five nuclear-armed nations that are signatories of the Non-Proliferation Treaty must adopt "a concrete plan to implement" their obligations under Article VI of the Treaty to achieve at an early date the total elimination of nuclear weapons, under international and mutual control that is strict and effective, and to "shift budgets and public investments for the nuclear weapons industry to instead support public health, climate stabilization and sustainable development". (See the Open Letter of the International Peace Movement). They must be joined in these negotiations by all the states possessing or hosting them, whether or not signatories of the NPT. All states without exception must now renounce the use of these weapons, irrespective of motive or circumstances. Other radioactive weapons (such as Depleted Uranium ones) must also be banned and eliminated as soon as possible.

9. The countries with nuclear power plants, which, besides their ordinary dangerousness, carry the risk in wartime of being transformed, deliberately or accidently, into "dirty bombs", a current risk with the Ukrainian plants at Chernobyl and Zaporijja, must shut them down as soon as possible and turn to sustainable alternatives (sobriety, efficiency, renewable energies).

10. The governments of all countries, whether nuclear-armed or not, must not use the Ukraine war as a pretext for increasing arms expenditure - as they have never stopped doing in recent years. On the contrary, they must view it as a reason for ceasing their arms exports, preventing conflicts through diplomatic means and peaceful cooperation, beginning the demilitarisation of international relations, negotiating the general disarmament of the planet, and transferring the resources thus saved into the struggle against global warming and climate degradation, and into the satisfying of fundamental human needs.

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Jean-Marie Matagne, président (France), Peter Low, administrateur (Nouvelle Zélande)
Members of the Abolition 2000 Global Council