Ending the war in Ukraine: The time has come for civil society to lead

A special conference has been called in Vienna to overcome obstacles and work more effectively – as civil society – towards ending this war and DiEM25 will be present with our Peace Proposal for Ukraine and our call for a New Non-Aligned Movement

Humanity began a new, darker, chapter of its history on February 24, 2022 when the Russian Federation invaded Ukraine. Beginning with a ceasefire and moving onto negotiations is the only logical pathway to take if we are serious about peace. This war, as with any other war, is a loss for everyone – detracting from other urgent issues that need addressing at a global level. This illogical and illegal war of aggression must therefore be brought to an end as soon as possible.

Yet warmongering has escalated. NATO has expanded. Pentagon spending is the highest it has ever been. A new military force is coming into being in the European Union – including troops from neutral Austria and Ireland. Relations between China and the United States are slowly deteriorating. The United Nations is at a standstill.

With our elected representatives continuing to pursue a win-at-all costs strategy, the time has come for ordinary people to actively pursue peace. That’s why a special conference has been called in Vienna to overcome obstacles and work more effectively – as civil society – towards ending this war.

International Summit for Peace in Ukraine

The International Summit for Peace in Ukraine brings together activists, researchers and public officials to strengthen nascent efforts for peace actions in Europe and beyond. We will aim to build momentum for a ceasefire followed by negotiations as first steps towards ending the war in Ukraine.

We will take this opportunity to work towards peace not only in the ‘now’, but also when the last guns have fallen silent and a new peace architecture will be needed for Europe and beyond.

DiEM25, with existing positions on both, will be at the summit. Armed with our Peace Proposal for Ukraine and our call for a New Non-Aligned Movement, we will add the voices of our Members to this point in history which, we hope, will be the beginning of a new, brighter, chapter in the story of humankind.