Building Global Solidarity with Ukraine

Mike Davis reports on a Brussels based international conference designed to help Ukraine win in the face of US backsliding

Almost 200 activists gathered in Brussels on 26-27 March to discuss ways of developing deeper support for the Ukrainian resistance to Russia’s war and occupation. Under the banner: ‘No to Partition! Russian troops out!’ representatives of over 20 countries came together to hear speakers covering a wide range of issues from the threat of a Trump-Putin deal and Ukrainian and European responses to ecocide and feminism in Ukraine.
Over 30 activists were of Ukrainian origin with large numbers from Belgium, France, Spain and the UK. Australia, Canada and the USA were also represented under the umbrella of the European Network of Solidarity with Ukraine (ENSU) of which the Ukraine Solidarity Campaign UK is a part.

The opening session heard Vermont state senator Tanya Vyhovsky condemn the actions of the Trump team in seeking to bully Ukraine into accepting a ceasefire with asset stripping of Ukrainian resources and annexation of much of Ukraine by Russia. “This is not business as usual” she explained with Trump showing complete disdain for the rule of law and democracy. “We can’t stand back in the face of fascists at this decisive moment in history”. Trump and Musk are a symptom of oligarchal capitalism. They are cosying up to fascists and tyrants around the globe. “We don’t have the money or the power but we have the people. We cannot let history repeat itself. We cannot let the Putin Musk partnership win. They are using Hitler’s playbook to disappear people.” In the face of Trump’s asset grab she emphasised ‘Ukraine is not for sale’.

As with many other speakers she stressed that the only path to peace is sovereignty, self determination and democracy.
Jude Kirton-Darling a former British Labour MEP spoke as General-Secretary of the IndustriALL Europe trade union federation. She emphasised the importance of solidarity between European trade unions and those in Ukraine with many members now enlisted to serve on the front line. She further stressed the centrality of Ukrainian agency: ‘nothing about us without us’. She reported on the €800bn EU commitment to rearmament and the necessity for this spend to go to aid for Ukraine. Vitaly Dudin of the Social Movement, Ukraine, emphasised that Ukraine’s struggle is a symbol of anti-imperialist struggle everywhere and while the effectiveness of anti-imperialism depends on the world it is primarily the people of Ukraine who are on the European frontline. He reminded the audience that the fight was also for the socialisation and democratisation of Ukraine. ‘Save the country, not the oligarchs’ was one of his rallying cries with the demand that the working class must be at the centre of decision making and the economy.

The final speaker Jonas Sjöstedt MEP for the Swedish Left Party reiterated that `any peace has to respect the integrity of Ukraine’. He summed up the peace dilemma: “If Russia stops it equals peace; if Ukraine stops it means occupation, repression and ongoing conflict.” He also introduced a theme to be expanded in the special conference held later in the European Parliament organised by the Nordic MEPs in the Left group . Namely, that Europe must step up to the plate as the US withdraws or reduces its military and political support for Ukraine.
The second session of the day focussed in more detail on the threat of a Putin-Trump deal. Li Andersson (MEP for Left Alliance, Finland) was joined by Zofia Malisz (RAZEM, Poland) and Christopher Ford (Secretary, Ukraine Solidarity Campaign, England and Wales).

All gave clear analyses of the growing menace of authoritarian leaders world wide from Orbán in Hungary, Erdoğan in Turkey, Netanyahu in Israel among many others who are all emboldened by Trump to suppress dissent. All speakers agreed there is no conflict in continuing provision of military aid alongside diplomacy. “Putin is playing for time, because he is not being pushed,” said Andersson. In addition to the disaster of the Trump presidency Chris Ford identified three main reasons for the Ukraine crisis: Biden’s slow and limited support; the Ukrainian oligarchs for not building a war economy and the social democratic and labour movement for failures to campaign; and the drip feeding of insufficient aid. All agreed Europe has the resources to fill the vacuum of US retreat and attempts at rapprochement with Russia. Putin’s war crimes seem to be off Trump’s agenda as he and Putin seek to delegitimise the Zelensky government. Zofia spoke of the changed orientation since Poland assumed the EU Presidency under Prime Minister Donald Tusk in January, and the need to build a new security architecture in Europe of which Ukraine must be part.

A further session looking at Ukraine’s shattered economy was led by Yulia Yurchenko (Greenwich University and USC).
A number of mainly UK activists attended the 70 strong afternoon conference at the European Parliament hosted by Nordic leftists Li Andersson and Jonas Sjöstedt. Under the banner: ‘Solidarity with Ukraine: Reconstruction and Civil Society’ speakers covered the struggle of nurses and health workers, social care workers and educationalists and the impact of the war on Ukraine’s environment with pollution, damage to nuclear plants and toxins entering the eco-system. Oksana Dutchak explained that more than 20% of childcare and education facilities had been damaged or destroyed and 14% of health care facilities. Hospitals and schools near the front line had been razed to the ground; siege conditions meant access was very limited while population displacement and separation of families has led to an enormous loss of support networks. Meanwhile seven million elderly are facing only 70,000 care places. The result is a massively increased burden on mainly women carers.
Natalia Lomonosova emphasised the need to normalise discussion on carers, teachers and social workers as part of the war impact narrative. Yulia Yurchenko unfolded the scale of the economic debt and damage the Russian invasion and the profit-seeking oligarchs had inflicted on Ukraine. The Ukrainian ambassador to the EU also spoke of the negotiations and plans the Zelensky government had for any durable peace and reconstruction.
In summary, Li stressed that the war affects everything from environment to care. A just and lasting peace must be on Ukraine’s terms. “We must advocate for weapons, support for Ukraine’s environment and economy and cancellation of the sovereign debt in any reconstruction,” she summarised the session.All these points were aimed at European leaders. Sadly, few were in the room at the time.

Back at the main conference sessions looked at questions of military and non-military aid with a speaker from the Catalonian left and Solidarity Collective Ukraine; civil resistance in the occupied territories with Simon Pirani (writer, historian and energy researcher, England) and Mykhailo Romanov (Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group); Russian anti-war opposition with Maria Menshikova (Doxa), a representative of Feminist Antiwar Resistance (FAR) and Dmitri Kovalev (Left for Peace without Annexations); Stop LNG/fossil fuels campaign with Valeriya Izhyk, (EU Affairs Advisor, RAZEM, We Stand).

The following day the main morning focus was on organising solidarity. This looked particularly at the trade union and labour movement, boycotts and sanctions, supporting progressive military and civil liberty organisations, POWs and the Ukrainians in the occupied territories and Russia. A wide range of speakers from France, the UK, Poland, Catalonia and Ukraine introduced the issues. Later two parallel sessions took place, one focussing on Georgia led by Raisa Lepetaliani (Vice-President, Georgian Trade Union Confederation) and another on intersectional feminist struggles in Ukraine led by young activist Ivanna Vyanna (Bilkis). A further lively session on Women’s role in reconstruction was led by Oksana Slobodiana (Be Like Us – formerly Be Like Nina), Ivanna Vyanna and Heddy Riss (Belgian Committee of the European Network for Solidarity with Ukraine).

Russia’s shadow fleet of rust-bucket ex ice-breakers continue to evade sanctions bringing liquid natural gas to ports across Europe and the world to the value of £4bn a year. More than the value of the £3bn UK aid to Ukraine. Stopping this and other sanctions busting activities was highlighted in a session led by Isaac Levi of CREA, and Pete Cooper (USC Scotland). The latter spoke about the Seapeak campaign while Levi, in a wide-ranging presentation, highlighted that Belgium provided a good example of effective sanctions.
In a forward looking plenary speakers opened up discussion on the theme ‘Which reconstruction?’ Vasyl Andreiev (VP, Federation of Trade Unions of Ukraine), Galyna Krasokska (Social-Democratic Platform, Ukraine), Yulia Yurchenko and Adam Novak (ENSU) covered the kinds of social protection needed and the desirable paths to post-war ecological and sustainable recovery. The type of macroeconomic model required rejects neo-liberal ideas based on profit and instead argues that people must be at the forefront along with democratic state institutions, informed by workers, playing the leading role. Lyudmyla Kozlovska from the Open Dialogue Foundation gave a moving presentation on the problems of war casualties and particularly the policy on prosthetic limbs. Over 30,000 soldiers (and civilians) were suffering upper body amputations with only 10 specialists to for support. She outlined a further problem, namely that currently the state only provides for one replacement limb.
Cultural events and solidarity sharing punctuated the two day conference which was rounded off with an evening of speakers on and off line. The conference launched a strong international declaration: ‘Building Global Solidarity with Ukraine-The Brussels 2025 Declaration’. The organisers hope the text will be a useful tool to develop a common vision of work and practical collaboration by organisations and networks involved in Ukraine solidarity everywhere.
Mike Davis USC England and Wales and editor Chartist.