Decision by the Federal Political Committee of Yabloko, adopted on 21.11.2021, published on 27.11.2024

Photo: A bronze revolver with a knotted barrel – the sculpture “No to Violence” in front of the UN building in New York / Photo by Igor Mikhalev, RIA Novosti

After World War II, all political thought in post-war Europe aimed at following principles that should not allow a repeat of a major war. These were saving human lives, refusal to expand territories, mandatory negotiation process in any disputes and conflicts, publicity of political processes and the obligation to define specific achievable political goals, public governance on a peaceful pluralistic basis, protection of the rights of the individual through a variety of mechanisms, a balance between the personal freedom and public security, and respect for citizens of other countries, whatever they may be.

In the 1970s, the Soviet Union, which was a kind of federation of 15 republics, together with the Warsaw Pact member states and Western countries, developed agreements and the philosophy of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe with the aim of maintaining peace and political resolution of conflicts, and limiting and reducing armaments. The Council of Europe had the same goals.

Today, all these common achievements in maintaining peace are under threat of complete destruction. We call on all participants of the UN, OSCE, G-7, BRICS, G-20, and other international organisations and associations to realize their responsibility for the future and return, in the course of difficult negotiations, to adhering to common approaches, without which Europe and the world will sooner or later perish in the fire of war.

The accumulated and expanding arsenals of deadly weapons, the growing political contradictions in different parts of the world, the growing influence of military factors on civil policy, and the rejection of global responsibility and universal human values ​​- all this is a tinderbox, a threat to everyone together and each one individually.

It is time, at last, before it is too late, to understand that it is impossible to become a “beneficiary” of today’s crisis and that a hypothetical “geopolitical victory” of some over others can only be temporary and is not achievable on a large scale either globally or regionally for a long period of time, and apparent “successes” will inevitably turn against those who believe that they have achieved them. Attempts to put geopolitics above universal human values ​​are an irresponsible, adventurous simplification of the international agenda, leading to nationalism and militarism that are unpredictable in their negative consequences.

Grigory Yavlinsky,

Chairman of the Yabloko Federal Political Committee