On 24 February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale armed aggression against Ukraine, eight years after the invasion of Crimea and Donbass. The Russian invasion has already caused tens of thousands of deaths and indescribable sufferings.
The European Secularist Network reiterates its strong condemnation of the Russian aggression, a blatant violation of the UN Charter and the most fundamental norms of international law, as well as of the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by Russian forces.
The European Secularist Network maintains its full solidarity with the Ukrainian people, as well as with the Russian peace activists who have been harshly repressed for their opposition to the war.
This aggression concerns us all. The Putin regime seeks to destroy international law, to return to international relations based on force and violence. Its constant support for Europe’s far-right parties and reactionary, misogynist and homophobic movements is part of the same goal of destroying democracy and human rights.
As we wrote a year ago, for all democrats, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a wake-up call: there can be no naivety about the dangers to the rule of law and democracy. Failure to appreciate this today would expose us to grave dangers tomorrow.
This is why the European Secularist Network remains committed to the establishment or strengthening of democracy in all countries, a condition for building and protecting peace between peoples.
