Status: 04/16/2022 08:54 a.m
Economics Minister Habeck demanded a clear message from the peace movement during their Easter marches against Putin’s war of aggression in Ukraine. It was clear which side – also with weapons – had to be supported.
Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck called for a clear message to be sent to Russia from the Easter marches of the peace movement. Peace can and will only come if Russia’s President Vladimir Putin stops his war of aggression, the Green politician told the newspapers of the Funke media group.
“So the Easter marches should make it clear that they are directed against Putin’s war.” Habeck emphasized: “It is clear who is the aggressor in this war and who is defending himself in dire need and who we have to support – also with weapons.”
Pacifism is currently “a distant dream,” said the Green politician. Putin threatens the freedom of Europe. “War crimes are obviously part of his warfare. Defenseless civilians are deliberately killed, prisoners of war executed, families murdered, hospitals shelled with rockets.” For him it is true that “watching is the bigger guilt”.
Ukraine and Bundeswehr rearmament are topics
The Easter marches for peace have a long tradition. On Good Friday, April 15, 1960, opponents of nuclear war started the first Easter March in Germany. After that, at times hundreds of thousands of participants came to the demonstrations. Actions are also planned in numerous cities and regions this year, from vigils to multi-day marches.
According to the organizers, the rallies are held under the motto “Down with your arms! – Stop the war in Ukraine! Stop the 100 billion euro rearmament program”. Around 80 events are planned today. As one of the biggest activities, the Rhine-Ruhr Easter March starts in Duisburg in the morning. He will be moving through several cities to Dortmund by Easter Monday. According to the organizers, there was already “brisk participation” in the rallies on yesterday’s Good Friday.
Right to weapons for self-defense
Most recently, criticism of parts of the peace movement had become loud. The FDP foreign policy expert Alexander Graf Lambsdorff called the participants “Vladimir Putin’s fifth column”.
With a view to the Easter marches, former Bundestag President Wolfgang Thierse (SPD) emphasized Ukraine’s right to self-defence. The motto “Create peace without weapons” is currently an arrogance towards the people in Ukraine, Thierse told dem Bavarian radio. Pacifism at the expense of others is cynical.