ФИР и ее ассоциации никогда не забудут о великом подвиге всех советских ветеранов Красной Армии против фашистской угрозы. Вместе с другими силами антигитлеровской коалиции они сыграли решающую роль в освобождении Европы от нацистского варварства и, тем самым, завершения Второй мировой войны. С огромными жертвами они защищали свою родину. Освобождая 27 января 1945 года лагерь Освенцим, они дошли до того центрального места фашистской политики уничтожения, следы которой они ранее обнаружили во всех оккупированных советских республиках. То, что за освободительную борьбу народам Советского Союза пришлось заплатить 27 миллионами жертв, никто из серьезно настроенных на мир во всем мире не может и не должен отрицать. Поэтому советские ветераны Великой Отечественной войны во всех отношениях вправе возвысить свой голос в качестве политического и морального авторитета за мир и против нацистской идеологии.

В нынешней ситуации российско-украинской войны ФИР как «Посол мира» ООН обращается ко всем бывшим ветеранам Великой Отечественной войны и их родственникам:

Используйте свое общественное и политическое влияние и добивайтесь немедленного прекращения боевых действий в этой войне. Живете ли вы в Беларуси, Российской Федерации, Украине, Израиле или любой другой стране, обратитесь к лидерам своих стран. Попросите их путем диалога с политическими лидерами России и Украины, с представителями военных с обеих сторон добиться немедленного прекращения всех боевых действий, включая обеспечение того, чтобы никакие вооруженные формирования не продлевали эти боевые действия. Немедленное прекращение огня необходимо для защиты гражданского населения, среди которого много бывших советских ветеранов и их родственников. Они лучше других знают, что оружие должно замолчать. Поставки оружия не принесут мира, только прекращение боевых действий и серьезные переговоры между воюющими сторонами.

Как только оружие замолчит, начнется следующая великая задача для вас, ветеранов. Вам, отдавшим здоровье и жизнь за освобождение родины и сокрушение нацизма, теперь предстоит помочь начать процесс примирения между братскими народами России и Украины, как они называются в ваших публикациях. В этом ФИР хотела бы поддержать вас.

8/9 мая – в День освобождения и День Победы – давайте вместе вспомним в разных странах Европы об историческом подвиге ветеранов Красной Армии, о том, как они вместе, рука об руку, боролись против нацизма и за мир. Это может стать основой для примирения – и в России, и на Украине. В то же время нам нужна совместная поддержка всех советских ветеранов в нашей борьбе в разных странах Европы за сохранение свидетельств и мемориалов освобождения и освободителей.

The FIR and its member federations never forget the great achievement of all Soviet veterans of the Red Army against the fascist threat. Together with the other forces of the anti-Hitler coalition, they played a decisive role in the liberation of Europe from Nazi barbarism and, thus, in ending the Second World War. At great sacrifice, they defended their own homeland and in liberating the Auschwitz camp on January 27, 1945, they reached that central site of the fascist extermination policy, the traces of which they had previously found in all occupied Soviet republics. The fact that the peoples of the Soviet Union had to pay with 27 million victims for this liberation struggle is a legacy that no one seriously committed to peace in the world can and must deny. Therefore, the Soviet veterans of the Great Patriotic War are in every respect entitled to raise their voices as a political and moral authority for peace and against Nazi ideology.

In the current situation of the Russian-Ukrainian war, FIR as “Ambassador of Peace” of the United Nations appeals to all former veterans of the Great Patriotic War, and their relatives:

Use your social and political influence and work for the immediate cessation of hostilities in this war. Whether you live in Belarus, the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Israel or any other country, turn to the leaders of your countries. Ask them, through a dialogue with political leaders in Russia and Ukraine, with representatives of the military on both sides, to bring about an immediate halt to all fighting, including ensuring that no armed snipers prolong this fighting. An immediate ceasefire is necessary for the protection of civilians, among whom there are many former Soviet veterans and their relatives. They know better than anyone else does that the guns must be silent. Arms deliveries will not bring peace, only a cessation of fighting and serious negotiations between the warring parties.

Once the weapons are silenced, the next great task for you, veterans, begins. You, who gave your health and life for the liberation of the homeland and the crushing of Nazism, are now challenged to help start the process of reconciliation between the Russian and Ukrainian brother peoples, as it is called in your publications. In this, the FIR would like to support you.

On May 8/9 — the Liberation Day and the Victory Day –let us remember together in the different European countries the historic achievement of the veterans of the Red Army, how they fought together, hand in hand, against Nazism and for peace. This can be a basis of reconciliation – in Russia and in Ukraine. At the same time, we need the joint support of all Soviet veterans as we struggle in various European countries to preserve the testimonies and memorials to the liberation and the liberators.

The FIR is an “ambassador of peace”. We stand for peace without war! Therefore, FIR condemns the Russian military action on the territory of Ukraine. As highlighted in our last newsletter, we do not see military escalation as a solution to the disputes between the Russian Federation and Ukraine in the context of the Donbass conflict.

Even if military action is limited to strikes against military infrastructure, we as an International Umbrella Organization cannot condone such action. We continue to advocate that this military action must be stopped immediately. A solution can and must only be found through negotiations involving the OSCE structures.

This situation once again underscores in all its drama:

Whoever wants a de-escalation of the situation must return to confidence-building measures (such as the open sky agreement), the principles of the NATO-Russia Founding Act of 1997 and to genuine arms limitation and disarmament treaties, which have been unilaterally terminated by the United States.

Not military strikes against Ukraine or on the other hand rearmament of Ukraine, but diplomacy, a common security architecture and the recognizable will for disarmament are necessary in this situation.

The FIR and its member federations raised already several years ago the demand for a new policy of détente. This is more topical than ever. The peace forces in all European countries must publicly stand up for this.

Die FIR ist ein „Botschafter des Friedens“. Wir stehen für Frieden ohne Krieg! Daher verurteilt die FIR die russische Militäraktion auf dem Territorium der Ukraine. Wie in unserem letzten Newsletter hervorgehoben, sehen wir in einer militärischen Eskalation keine Lösung für die Auseinandersetzungen zwischen der russischen Föderation und der Ukraine im Zusammenhang mit dem Donbass-Konflikt.

Selbst wenn sich militärische Handlungen auf Schläge gegen die militärische Infrastruktur beschränken, können wir als Internationale Dachorganisation ein solches Vorgehen nicht billigen.

Wir treten weiterhin dafür ein, dass dieses militärische Vorgehen sofort gestoppt wird. Eine Lösung kann und darf es nur auf dem Verhandlungswege geben unter Einbeziehung der OSZE Strukturen geben.

Diese Situation unterstreicht noch einmal in aller Dramatik:

Wer eine Deeskalation der Lage will, muss zurückkehren zu vertrauensbildenden Maßnahmen (wie z.B. dem open sky-Abkommen), den Prinzipien der NATO-Russland-Grundakte von 1997 und zu echten Rüstungsbegrenzungs- und Abrüstungsverträgen, die durch die USA einseitig gekündigt worden sind.

Nicht Militärschläge gegen die Ukraine oder andererseits Aufrüstung der Ukraine, sondern Diplomatie, eine gemeinsame Sicherheitsarchitektur und der erkennbare Wille zur Abrüstung sind in dieser Situation nötig.

Die FIR und ihre Mitgliedsverbände haben schon vor mehreren Jahren die Forderung nach einer neuen Entspannungspolitik erhoben. Dies ist aktueller denn je. Dafür müssen sich die Friedenskräfte in allen europäischen Ländern öffentlich einsetzen.

In its latest Newsletter FIR presented the following tasks to solve the political conflict:

From our point of view, there is a solution to this problem, to which all sides can actively work on:

A propagandistic de-escalation and preparation of a European security conference in OSCE format, in which contractual agreements are concluded which correspond to the security interests of all states in Europe.

Those who do not want Russian medium-range forces in Kaliningrad must also contractually agree not to position any elsewhere near the Russian border.

Those who want Russian troops to be withdrawn near their own borders must not provide for NATO troops on their own border.

Whoever does not want a political-military escalation in Europe must prevent NATO — contrary to all political agreements — from expanding further east.

Those who want a de-escalation of the situation must return to confidence-building measures (such as the open sky agreement), the principles of the 1997 NATO-Russia Founding Act, and to genuine arms limitation and disarmament treaties that have been unilaterally terminated by the United States.

Not dangerous threatening gestures and armament of Ukraine, but diplomacy, a common security architecture and the recognizable will for disarmament are necessary in this situation.

The FIR and its member federations raised already several years ago the demand for a new policy of détente. This is more topical than ever. The peace forces in all European countries must publicly stand up for this.

The full declaration, you can find on facebook-page of FIR

In dem neuen FIR Newsletter hat die Organisation folgende praktische Vorschläge zur Lösung der politischen Krise unterbreitet:

Aus der Sicht der FIR gibt es jedoch eine Lösung für dieses Problem, an dem alle Seiten aktiv mitarbeiten können:

Eine propagandistische Deeskalation und Vorbereitung einer europäischen Sicherheitskonferenz im OSZE-Format, in der vertragliche Vereinbarungen abgeschlossen werden, die den Sicherheitsinteressen aller Staaten in Europa entsprechen.

Wer keine russischen Mittelstreckenraketen in Kaliningrad will, muss auch vertraglich zusagen, keine an anderer Stelle nahe der russischen Grenze zu positionieren.

Wer will, dass russische Truppen nahe der eigenen Grenzen abgezogen werden, der darf keine NATO – Truppen an seiner eigenen Grenze vorsehen.

Wer keine politisch-militärische Eskalation in Europa will, der muss verhindern, dass die NATO sich – entgegen aller politischen Absprachen – weiter nach Osten ausdehnt.

Wer eine Deeskalation der Lage will, muss zurückkehren zu vertrauensbildenden Maßnahmen (wie z.B. dem open sky-Abkommen), den Prinzipien der NATO-Russland-Grundakte von 1997 und zu echten Rüstungsbegrenzungs- und Abrüstungsverträgen, die durch die USA einseitig gekündigt worden sind.

Nicht gefährliche Drohgebärden und Aufrüstung der Ukraine, sondern Diplomatie, eine gemeinsame Sicherheitsarchitektur und der erkennbare Wille zur Abrüstung sind in dieser Situation nötig.

Die FIR und ihre Mitgliedsverbände haben schon vor mehreren Jahren die Forderung nach einer neuen Entspannungspolitik erhoben. Dies ist aktueller denn je. Dafür müssen sich die Friedenskräfte in allen europäischen Ländern öffentlich einsetzen.

With large satisfaction, the FIR took note of the result of the presidential election in Chile. Not the right-wing conservative Pinochet supporter José Antonio Kast could defend his lead in the first election round, but the representative of the left forces Gabriel Boric received with 56% of the votes a clear confirmation in the runoff. FIR congratulates the newly elected Chilean President and the Chilean people for this victory of the progressive forces.

It is a social confirmation of the process that has been fought in the streets for several months of political protests against social injustice and educational privileges. The first result was the creation of a constitutional commission to change the old Pinochet constitution, and now a president has been elected who comes from the protest movement. 

We wish the elected president and the Chilean people every success. Nevertheless, we also know that progressive movements in Latin America are always in danger of being threatened and destabilized by outside forces, more precisely by right-wing forces from the USA. The FIR cannot forget how 50 years ago the socialist government under President Salvador Allende provided hope and awakening in Chile, but then was replaced by the Pinochet regime through the CIA-supported coup of the military.

The FIR and its member federations were afterwards part of the world-spreading network of the Chile solidarity. We provided help for the Chilean refugees and supported their fight for the freedom of the country. This is another reason why we welcome this recent success of the progressive forces in Chile.

¡El pueblo unido jamas sera vencido — venceremos!