Ukraine war
Headwind with announcement: Alice Schwarzer and Sahra Wagenknecht publish peace manifesto
Alice Schwarzer (right) and Sahra Wagenknecht at the photo shoot in Cologne’s Rheinauhafen.
© Rolf Vennenbernd / DPA
Sahra Wagenknecht and Alice Schwarzer see the world on a “slide” into nuclear war. In a manifesto, they call for the end of arms deliveries. Violent criticism is inevitable – and approval from a probably undesirable corner.
Left-wing politician Sahra Wagenknecht and women’s rights activist Alice Schwarzer have one thing in common “Manifesto for Peace” warned of an escalation of the Ukraine war. At the latest when the Ukrainian armed forces should attack Crimea, Russian President Vladimir Putin will “launch a maximum counterattack”. “Will we then inevitably slide down a slide towards world war and nuclear war? It wouldn’t be the first major war that started like this. But it might be the last.”
Rally on February 25th
In a video, the 80-year-old black says with a laugh: “Some of you are probably surprised to see me shoulder to shoulder here with Sahra Wagenknecht, but there is a very serious reason for it.” Both called for a peace rally on February 25 at the Brandenburg Gate, one day after the anniversary of the beginning of the war. Their manifesto was endorsed by 69 initial signatories. They include the theologian Margot Käßmann, the singer Reinhard Mey, the satirist Martin Sonneborn, former brigadier general Erich Vad, the textile entrepreneur Wolfgang Grupp and the former EU Commissioner Günter Verheugen.
The manifesto is just one the most discussed topics in social networks. Particularly salty criticism came from the former Ukrainian ambassador to Germany, Andriy Melnyk: “Hello you two Putinian henchmen: Inside @SWagenknecht & #Schwarzer, you can roll up your manifesto for treason by the Ukrainians and throw it straight into the trash can at the Brandenburg Gate.” ZDF satirist Jan Böhmermann only tweeted: “I’m sorry”. AfD co-head Tino Chrupalla, who has recently had a white dove of peace flutter over the party logo, praised: “I signed this petition for peace. Party borders should not be barriers when working for peace.”
“Ukraine needs our solidarity”
Schwarzer and Wagenknecht emphasize in their manifesto: “The Ukrainian population, brutally attacked by Russia, needs our solidarity.” In their eyes, however, this is not an ever-longer prolongation of the war, which will ultimately turn Ukraine into a depopulated, destroyed country.
The two authors criticize the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj. “President Zelenskyy makes no secret of his goal,” they write. “After the promised tanks, he is now also demanding fighter jets, long-range missiles and warships – to defeat Russia across the board?” Supported by the West, Ukraine could win individual battles. “But it cannot win a war against the world’s largest nuclear power.”
Scholz should stop weapons
Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) swore when he took office to avert damage from the German people. “We call on the Chancellor to stop the escalation in arms deliveries. Now! He should lead a strong alliance for a ceasefire and peace negotiations at both German and European level.”
In April last year, Schwarzer had already initiated an open letter that appealed to Scholz not to deliver heavy weapons to Ukraine. According to her, this letter has now been signed by more than 500,000 people.
Germany’s interests
In a counter-appeal, intellectuals spoke out in favor of a continuous supply of arms to Ukraine. Former Green Party politician Ralf Fücks, writer Daniel Kehlmann and publisher Mathias Döpfner wrote that anyone who wants a negotiated peace that does not result in the submission of Ukraine must strengthen its ability to defend itself. Preventing a successful Russian attack is in Germany’s interest.