OTTAWA – Expressing alarm over escalating tensions in Ukraine, the Green Party of Canada is asking on the Canadian government to take a more energetic role in an expanded diplomatic effort towards a everlasting ceasefire within the conflict zones of eastern Ukraine.
“We must explore all possible avenues to be sure that Russian aggression doesn’t trigger a NATO military response,” said Green Party interim Leader Amita Kuttner. “There is no such thing as a winning with an armed conflict. Any military motion by Russia have to be met with a collection of punitive sanctions and other economic measures.”
The Green Party supports strong non-violent responses to military aggression and human rights violations. It strongly opposes any Canadian military involvement in Ukraine and the export of weapons to this conflict zone.
Dr. Kuttner said that Canada should proceed to support the strengthening of Ukraine’s civil society and democratic institutions and training for its civilian police forces. “Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity have to be respected and its residents have to be allowed to find out their future without foriegn interference,” they said.
“The US played a key role through the Revolution of Dignity or Maiden revolution in 2014, effectively supporting the removal of the democratically elected president Viktor Yanukovych. Since then Russia has annexed Crimea and fomented violent riot within the Russian speaking regions of Ukraine.”
The Green Party is asking for a unique approach to making sure peace and security for all European states. The German unification negotiations between the US and the Soviet Union produced a promise that NATO forces and missiles wouldn’t be stationed in eastern Germany and that NATO wouldn’t expand “one inch further”. While that pledge was specific to Germany, the spirit and intent was that NATO wouldn’t expand eastward.
When the Warsaw Pact was disbanded, NATO must have followed suit, making way for a latest model for peace and security in Europe that excludes the 2 superpowers. As a substitute, NATO now includes 10 former Warsaw Pact countries and 4 former Yugoslav republics, effectively encircling Russia on its western border.
This expansion, coupled with NATO interventions within the Middle East, have strengthened President Valdimir Putin’s contention that Russia must take strong counter measures to guard its security and sovereignty.
Faced with the growing threat of the climate crisis, the worldwide community must not waste effort and time on neo-imperial ambitions and military expansionism. It’s time to put aside these conflicts, create diplomatic solutions and work collectively to take care of the existential crisis all of us share in common.
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For more information or to rearrange an interview:
John Chenery
media@greenparty.ca
1-613-562-4916 ext. 215
