Negotiate

These days Russia is again attacking Ukrainian civilians, destroying houses and factories and killing innocent people. This Russian war of aggression is an inexcusable crime in violation of international law. Putin is committing mass murder.

The old peace movement, whose motto is “Building peace without weapons,” is still having a hard time with the fact that Germany, too, is supporting Ukraine with defensive weapons in this situation. But anything else would be omission of assistance.

Even as a pacifist and Christian, I cannot cover my ears when my neighbor is attacked and calls for help. I must not also hold the door open for the aggressor. That is why the old motto of the peace movement now needs this addition: “Make peace with defensive weapons.”

“All weapons kill” is held up to me by the peace movement. But this is exactly wrong and ideologically motivated. Just as it was wrong in the Rwandan genocide 30 years ago. Hundreds of thousands of people fell victim to this “pacifism”.

Ukraine is asking for reinforcement of its air defenses. Most of the missiles that Putin has had fired at Ukraine in recent months have been intercepted by air defense systems and destroyed in the air. Air defense weapons have saved many lives.

“Thou shalt not kill” is the primal ethos of all religions and wisdom systems. But it also means, “Thou shalt not cause to be killed when thou hast the opportunity.” And this we have.

Already since the fall of 2022, German air defense systems have also served to protect Kiev and other Ukrainian cities and save lives. Life is sacred. Today, German radar and defense systems are also helping Ukrainians regain some composure. This is because the German defense systems can hit and destroy most approaching Russian missiles at a distance of 40 kilometers and at an altitude of 20 kilometers.

These considerations are real-pacifism in contrast to the old fundamental-pacifism. If a new peace movement recognizes these new realities, it will regain greater public recognition. And at the same time, the Ukrainian people will get a positive answer to their most pressing question: “How do we get more security?” The truth lies in facts, not in wishful dreams.

However, in addition to the delivery of defensive weapons, at the same time more pressure must be put on, for example, a Franco-German-Chinese initiative for a ceasefire and peace agreement. To those who currently see negotiations as naïve and impossible, historian Peter Brandt, initiator of the controversial peace appeal by leading Social Democrats, has just replied: “Sometimes you have to negotiate to find negotiations at all.” His father, Willy Brandt, had the courage to do so 50 years ago. With success.

Source

Franz Alt 2023 | Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)