The Ukraine has sharply rejected an appeal for peace by well-known German social democrats and trade unionists for a quick end to the Russian war of aggression. “Go to hell with your senile idea of reaching a ‘quick ceasefire’ and ‘making peace only with Russia,'” Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Andriy Melnyk wrote on Twitter on Saturday.
His successor as ambassador in Berlin, Oleksii Makeiev, told the German Press Agency: “This peace appeal is not an April Fool’s joke. It is pure cynicism towards the numerous victims of Russian aggression.”
Appeal addressed to Chancellor Scholz
The call “Make Peace! Armistice and Common Security Now!” was published in the “Berliner Zeitung” on Saturday. It was initiated by the historian Peter Brandt, a son of the former chancellor Willy Brandt (SPD), the former DGB chairman Reiner Hoffmann and the ex-Bundestag member Michael Müller (SPD). It is signed by many former functionaries of the SPD, the German Federation of Trade Unions (DGB), artists and scientists.
It calls on Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) to work with France to persuade the countries of Brazil, China, India and Indonesia to mediate in order to quickly achieve a ceasefire in Ukraine. “That would be a necessary step to stop the killing and to explore possibilities for peace. Only then can the path to a common security order in Europe be paved.”
Melnyk: “Ukrainians reject this frills”
Melnyk tweeted: “The Ukrainians reject this frippery. Period.” Makeiev told the dpa that the appeal had only one goal: “To cover up the crimes of Russia and, accordingly, the responsibility of the Russian regime.” In view of the brutal Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, the only possible appeal for peace is: “Mr. Putin, immediately withdraw your troops from the entire Ukrainian territory!”
The signers of the call include ex-SPD leader Norbert Walter-Borjans, former Bundestag President Wolfgang Thierse (SPD), former SPD federal director Klaus Uwe Benneter, ex-EU Commissioner Günter Verheugen and former federal ministers such as Hertha Däubler-Gmelin and Hans Eichel. From the trade union side, former chairmen such as Franz Steinkuehler, Jürgen Peters, Detlev Wetzel and Klaus Zwick (all IG Metall) have signed.
The incumbent SPD parliamentary group leader, Rolf Mützenich, also signaled support. “The call comes at the right time. After a year, we must neither shrug our shoulders nor put diplomacy aside,” he told the “Frankfurter Rundschau”. At no point did the authors question the responsibility of Russia and Vladimir Putin for the military aggression, “which meritoriously sets them apart from other initiatives.”
