Nordic Green Left: Solidarity with Ukraine

First published at Vänsterpartiet.

We, the undersigned representatives of the Nordic green left, declare our solidarity with the rightful resistance of the Ukrainian people and emphasise the sole responsibility of the Russian regime for initiating this illegal invasion, escalating it to the point of risking nuclear war, and provoking global re-armament.

We deeply condemn violations of international law and illegal occupations, regardless of whose imperialist ambitions they serve.

To end the war, we demand a complete and immediate withdrawal of the Russian armed forces from all Ukrainian territory. We welcome anti-war resistance and democratic opposition in Russia and Belarus as integral elements of the struggle for peace in the region.

We recognize that arms support is necessary to give Ukraine the ability to defend itself. As wars do not end on the battlefield, diplomatic efforts are equally important. We believe that lasting and fair peace should be based on respect for international law, human rights, and sovereignty within internationally recognized borders. Moreover, we acknowledge that it is the people of Ukraine who should decide when to call for a ceasefire and whether to accept a truce, and under which conditions.

We express our concern about persistent attacks on labour rights and trade unions by the Ukrainian government, which clearly violate ILO conventions and the association agreement with the EU. We are also mindful of the dangers of imposing neoliberal policies of austerity and privatisation in the interest of Western or domestic capital during the post-war rebuilding of Ukraine.

Therefore, we pledge our support to the Ukrainian labour movement, Sotsialnyi Rukh, and other progressive forces fighting for a just future and a strong social welfare state.

We call for the cancellation of Ukraine’s foreign debt and joint international reconstruction efforts on the conditions of transparency, accountability, participative decision-making, and good practices of social partnership.

We urge strengthening the work towards a more democratic world order and appeal to the global left to stand with us today on these principles, side by side with the oppressed, just as the left has always done before.

Enhedslisten (Red-Green Alliance), Denmark

Vänsterpartiet (Left Party), Sweden

Sosialistisk venstreparti (Socialist Left Party), Norway

Vasemmistoliitto (Left Alliance), Finland

Rødt (Red Party), Norway