The Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM) strongly condemns the Russian military invasion of Ukraine. The Russian invasion of Ukraine is unacceptable and deplorable, as it violates international laws and brings catastrophic consequences to the Ukrainian people and the Russian people. The war is bringing devastation to the lives, economy, and environment in Eastern Europe and threatening peace at the global level.
The military aggression on Ukraine by Russian forces demonstrates the nationalist-chauvinist nature of Putin’s regime. It will serve nothing in what Putin’s claimed “denazification”. Instead, the Russian invasion of Ukrainian soil will only help fuel more anti-Russian far-right nationalist sentiment in Ukraine and elsewhere.
While condemning Russia’s reckless military aggression on Ukraine, we shall not absolve the responsibility of the warmongering United States’ aggressive push to expand the 20th Century Cold War antique — NATO, further eastward to Russia’s border in intensifying and escalating the tension to this juncture.
War is never an answer to geopolitical conflict, and military solutions will only lead to more conflicts. Only diplomacy with mutual respect among all parties can resolve the complex question of regional security.
The Russian war on Ukraine will further suppress the already shrinking democratic space in both Ukraine and Russia, bringing devastation to any progressive social movement that challenges these countries’ oligarchic capitalist rule.
Hence, we call for:
- Immediate withdrawal of all Russian troops from Ukraine;
- A return to diplomacy in order to resolve the conflict in a peaceful and respectful way;
- Respect of the right to democratic self-determination of the Ukrainian people, same goes to the people who are living in the Donbas region;
- NATO must stop its eastward expansion.
We also salute and express our solidarity with the brave Russian people who are protesting in the streets despite repressions by the increasingly autocratic regime in Russia.
When the world faces a global health crisis, increasing socio-economic inequality and extinction-level climate crisis, humanity does not need another imperialist war.
Released by,
Choo Chon Kai, Central Committee Member, Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM)