Union Leaders & Ukrainian Activists Statement for Demand Russian Troops Out!

A coalition of trade union leaders, Ukrainian activists and political figures including GMB’s Gary Smith, ASLEF’s Mick Whelan, Karolina Uskakovych from the Ukrainian Environmental Humanities Network and Olena Ivashchenko from Campaign for Ukraine have signed the Ukrainian Solidarity Campaign’s statement demanding Russian troops leave the country.

The statement comes as world leaders gather in Munich to discuss global security, with Russia’s full-scale invasion at the top of the agenda. Zelenskiy is set to meet the US Vice President J.D Vance, just days after President Trump informed the world he was discussing peace negotiations with Russian leader President Putin.

In a shock announcement, Trump praised and thanked Putin, and announced that peace negotiations would begin, with the two leaders planning state visits to Washington and Moscow. Trump’s post on his Truth Social network raised speculation that any peace deal would be done on Russia’s terms, with the occupied territories permanently handed over to Russian control. The mood music from Washington also signalled an end to Ukraine’s requests to join NATO and the European Union, thereby ensuring their future security.

The conversation has raised concerns that the conference in Munich will follow the pattern of the 1938 Munich meeting between Hitler and Neville Chamberlain, where a fragile peace was agreed with Nazi Germany on the basis of Czechoslovakia giving up its sovereignty.

That’s why, at the Ukrainian Solidarity Campaign, we are calling for all Russian troops to leave Ukraine now. The war could end tomorrow if Russia withdraws its troops, leaves the occupied territories, and stops the daily bombardment of Ukrainian cities. The war can end when Russia stops fighting. But if Ukraine stops fighting, then it is Ukraine that will end.

In the three years since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, nearly 10 million people have been displaced and tens of thousands have been killed. Russia has bombed hospitals and schools. It has tortured civilians, raped men, women and children, conducted summary executions and filled mass graves with the bodies of innocent people.

Now, Ukraine faces a new danger: a cowed west willing to hand over Ukrainians in the occupied territories to a permanent state of terror and oppression, and a US President in thrall to an authoritarian dictator determined to wipe Ukraine off the map.

To the leaders in Munich, our coalition says: get Russian troops out of Ukraine. Do not submit to Putin’s demands. Do not sacrifice the lives and freedoms of Ukrainian people to Russian control. Instead, stand with Ukraine and keep your promise to defend democracy and sovereignty – to do whatever it takes to support Ukraine to win.

STATEMENT BY ORGANISERS OF THE 22 FEBRUARY MARCH IN LONDON

The Munich Security Conference which opened today is expected to see Trump’s administration present a plan to end the war on Ukraine.
For three years, everyday Ukrainian houses, medical facilities, schools and workplaces are bombed, 15 million Ukrainians need humanitarian assistance. Nearly 10 million people were forced to leave their homes. Russia has a committed over 122,000 suspected war crimes, horrifically, Russian occupiers have abducted an estimated 20,000 children.
Now having been made vulnerable by the failure of key Western states to provide necessary aid to defeat Russia, Ukraine faces a new danger. Ukraine is expected to consign its own citizens to occupation in areas annexed by Russia as part of deal brokered by Trump.
The similarities to the 1938 Munich Agreement and what may come from this Munich conference are obvious.
History has taught us that partitions do not provide a sustainable peace, whilst Russia occupies part of Ukraine it will be impossible for Ukrainians to truly determine their own future freely.
We are calling for renewed solidarity with Ukraine to help end the occupation.
Join us in demanding Russian Troops Out at the demonstration to the Russian Embassy, on Saturday 22 February – assemble by St Volodymyr Statue, Holland Park, 12 noon, rally at the embassy at 1pm.

Signed:
Olena Ivashchenko, Campaign for Ukraine
Mariia Pastukh, Vsesvit Ukraine solidarity Collective
Mykhailo Volynets, chairperson of the Confederation of Free Trade Unions of Ukraine (KVPU)
Gary Smith, General Secretary, GMB union
Mick Whelan, General Secretary, ASLEF train drivers union,
Chris Kitchen, General Secretary, National Union of Mineworkers
John Moloney, Asst General Secretary, Public and Commercial Services Union
Christopher Ford, Ukraine Solidarity Campaign
Dariya Hutsalyuk, Hromada Collective
Valeriia Voshchevska, Ukraine Solidarity Project
Sacha Ismail, Ukraine Solidarity Campaign
Karolina Uskakovych, Ukrainian Environmental Humanities Network
Jonathon Turnbull, Ukrainian Environmental Humanities Network
Artur Podsokha, UCL.UA and UA.Youth.UK

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