SOLIDARITY WITH UKRAINE

This Congress condemns the Russian invasion of Ukraine of February 2022, launched from the Russian Federation, Belarus and Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory.

We salute the resistance of the Ukrainian people and its labour movement to this act of imperialist aggression.

For the sake of democracy and resisting growing authoritarian tendencies globally, we are for the victory of Ukraine and the defeat of the Russian Federation in this war.

We support Ukraine’s right to appeal for, and be provided with, the military equipment needed to defeat the invasion. We therefore condemn Western governments for their failure to supply sufficient weaponry to do so.

We are for the speediest possible end to the war, based on: withdrawal of all Russian forces; and restoration of a united Ukraine, approval of any ‘peace deal’ by the people of Ukraine.

We extend our solidarity to Ukrainian trade unionists and socialists who continue to promote and defend workers’ rights.  We condemn the role of the Tory government in the introduction of new labour laws which have undermined trade union and worker rights.

We support a socially progressive reconstruction of Ukraine, with trade unions and civil society playing a central role. We therefore support the cancellation of Ukraine’s foreign debt and seizure of Russian assets to help fund state and society-led reconstruction with fully state-funded welfare state and low carbon sustainable economy.

We support the restoration of peaceful relations between Ukraine and neighbouring countries. We therefore pledge our support for, anti war movement in the Russian Federation, and for popular democratic movements to overthrow the authoritarian regimes in Russia and Belarus.

We support Justice for victims of war crimes, with an international war crimes tribunal.

We condemn those in our movement who would seek to exploit the cost-of-living crisis to undermine support for Ukraine and stop aid to Ukraine.

We commit to establish and maintain direct links with Ukrainian trade unions.

Following on from the above, we therefore call on all levels of the union to:

– Campaign for increased military aid necessary to enable Ukrainians to free their country, including modern tanks, aircraft and artillery.

– Provide material support to, and build direct links with, Ukrainian trade unions.

– Campaign against any attempts by Western governments to pressurise the people of Ukraine into accepting an unjust ‘peace deal’.

– Demand cancellation of Ukraine’s foreign debt.

– Support the campaigning and collection of material assistance organised by local Ukrainian communities in the UK.

– send an official union delegation to Ukraine to show our solidarity with the Ukrainian labour movement.