This is an important discussion because a Trump-Putin alliance threatens Ukraine.

What are the implications in Ireland?

A very simple policy should be supported by the left in Ireland :

We do not have a policy of “Neutrality” in the conflict between Israel and Palestine – we are for Palestine. We must not have a policy of “Neutrality” in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine – we must be for Ukraine. Trump-Putin are promoting genocide in Palestine and Ukraine.

Concretely, the Irish state helps Ukraine to clear mines planted by the Russian genocidal invaders.

The Irish left must support this measure.

Moving things forward :

Expand mine clearing and related non lethal military support.

That has to be the policy of the Irish left – no ifs and buts.

Alongside that, we must oppose any Irish state attempt to to join imperialist military alliances such as NATO – a firm policy of Non-Alignment is required.

John Meehan March 22 2025

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Chris Zeller’s note, published on facebook, is addressed to Hanna Perekhoda, whose article is included in this blog post :
How to Finance European Defence and how not to – and how the Irish Left can assist Ukraine by all means necessary (TÓF)

How to handle dilemmas?

I understand your arguments. I share your argument that we need a perspective of solidarity for the whole continent of Europe. This perspective includes massive support for the Ukrainian resistance. However, the fact that the countries of Europe and the USA have so far given too little support to Ukraine is not due to military inferiority vis-à-vis Russia but has political and economic reasons. At least some important sectors of capital have always focused on resuming “reasonable economic relations” with Russia.

It is right to demand that the European states must guarantee that Ukraine can defend itself. I assume that the stocks of air defense weapons throughout all states in Europe alone would be enough to protect the people in Ukraine’s major cities.

Nevertheless, the call for a general armament is wrong. We need to consider the global and planetary context. And in this respect, we face huge dilemmas that seem almost insoluble.

Russia’s attack on Ukraine has contributed to the fact that global heating has largely been pushed out of the public debate. Global heating is accelerating and in around five to seven decades will mean that large parts of the populated areas will no longer be permanently habitable. 3 billion people will no longer live in the temperature niche that has prevailed for the last 6,000 years. Imperialist rivalry and the material consumption of armaments will cause greenhouse gas emissions to rise massively. The oncoming wave of armament will make a substantial reduction in global warming unlikely and thus directly jeopardize the physical reproduction of not millions, but billions of people within a few decades.

The earth system is changing abruptly and will leave its mark on all social conflicts. 

We cannot approve of a general rearmament of the European imperialist powers. They will use their military strength to assert their claims by force in the context of increased rivalry for scarce and expensive ores, rare earths, agricultural land and even water, whether in Africa, Asia or Europe or elsewhere. Their method of adapting to global warming is the militarization of society and borders and the exclusion of the ever-increasing number of superfluous people. This means that the European powers will also want to use their military strength to assert their colonial ambitions. After all, this is nothing new.

Rearmament will lead to an even more unequal distribution of social resources and the enrichment of the most perverse sectors of capital.

How can we deal with these dilemmas?

1.) The European states must be forced to deliver a maximum of their weapons stocks (especially air defense) including intelligence information to Ukraine.

2.) We must demand the socialization of the arms industry. This industry must gear its production to Ukraine’s current needs. Arms deliveries to other countries, namely Israel, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, must be stopped. Rearmament in the service of neo-colonial and imperialist interests must be rejected. But we have to admit that this differentiation is difficult to make in reality.

3.) We must immediately begin a comprehensive continental discussion on a pan-European security system. Particular attention must be paid to the needs of the potentially threatened Baltic states and Moldova. We must prevent social and ecological security from being undermined. A comprehensive continental understanding of security combines social, ecological and physical security. This is only possible at continental level.

4.) We also need to develop a policy that helps to convince the general population and particularly the working class in Russia (and elsewhere) to break with their rulers. If people perceive European rearmament as being directed against them, this concern will become impossible.

5) We must maintain the perspective of a global break with capitalist rule, a global restructuring and dismantling of the arms industry and finally an eco-socialist upheaval and fill it with as much concrete life as possible in the daily struggles.

Christian Zeller is an activist in the European Network for Solidarity with Ukraine (ENSU). https://ukraine-solidarity.eu/

He is a professor of economic geography and editorial board member of the German-language journal,emancipation — Journal for Ecosocialist Strategy. Zeller is the author of Climate Revolution: Why we need an ecosocialist alternative(available in German).

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Solidarity Event Organised by the European Parliament Left :

Solidarity with Ukraine: Reconstruction and Civil Society

26th of March | European Parliament, Brussels 

Wednesday 26th | 15:00 – 18:30h | SPINELLI 1G2

Web Link :
Solidarity With Ukraine Conference – Left MEPs – Brussels March 26 and 27 2025

See Also :
Solidarity With Ukraine Events, ENSU, Brussels, March 26 & 27 2025

Interpretation: German, English, French, Danish, Spanish, Portuguese, Finnish, Swedish and Ukrainian.

The goal of building an equal, democratic Ukraine, where workers’ rights are protected, can only be achieved if Russia’s attacks are repelled. While grassroots movements and volunteers are making crucial efforts to support refugees and those directly affected by the war, we must ask: what more can the European Union and its Member States do to support Ukraine?

What role can individuals, civil society, and unions in the EU play in standing with Ukraine? The event will feature panel discussions with representatives of various NGOs and trade unions, experts and Ukrainian activists.

PROGRAMME 

Opening remarks | 15:00-15:15

• Li Andersson, Member of the European Parliament – The Left.
• Jonas Sjöstedt, Member of the European Parliament – The Left.
• Catarina Martins, Member of the European Parliament – The Left.
• Ambassador Chentsov Vsevolod, Head of the Mission of Ukraine to the European Union.

Introduction and general information about the latest development in Ukraine | 15.15- 15.30

• Yulia Yurchenko

Panel 1 – Labour rights in Ukraine | 15:30- 16:15 

Moderation: Li Andersson, Member of the European Parliament – The Left.

Guest Speakers:

• Serhii Huz, Representative of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine.
• Oksana Slobodiana, Representative of MedRukh (former Be like Nina!).

Exchange of views

Coffee break | 16:15 – 16:45 

Panel 2 | 16:45 – 17:30
Environmental issues related to the situation in Ukraine

Moderation: Jonas Sjöstedt, Member of the European Parliament – The Left.

Guest Speakers:

• Iryna Zamuruyeva, environment activist. (online)
• Darya Tsymbalyuk, publisher of a book about the environmental impact of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. (online)
• Maryna Larina

Exchange of views

Panel 3 | 17:30 – 18:15
Gender issues related to the situation in Ukraine

Moderation: Catarina Martins, Member of the European Parliament – The Left.

Guest Speakers:

• Oksana Dutchak, Researcher on care work in Ukraine and Editor of Spilne.
• Natalia Lomonosova, an expert on social policy, policy analyst and sociologist.

Exchange of views

Closing remarks | 18:15-18:30

• Li Andersson, Member of the European Parliament – The Left.
• Jonas Sjöstedt, Member of the European Parliament – The Left.
• Catarina Martins, Member of the European Parliament – The Left.