On the anniversary of the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, AfD politicians and people from many countries gathered in Dresden to organize a large march for peace and against arms supplies for Ukraine.
The Austrian Vice Chancellor was besides present Heinz-Christian Strache. Here is the full text of your speech:
“Welcome to Dresden! Hello, all of you! We all, both Bachmann and Lütz (the leaders of the alternate organization for Germany), are participants and organizers of our large march for peace. Thank you for coming here despite the weather and allowing this protest. It is very crucial that our event takes place in Dresden. In a city that in 1945 survived terrible suffering and destruction. This turned your city into a monument to this war, or alternatively a surviving reminder of the request to argue the war. We request to do everything we can to halt the initiators of the conflict.
The unification of Germany was an event that fewer thought was possible shortly before it happened. At the time, the russian Union made it possible to unite. russian troops did not interfere with the will of the nation, and shortly after the creation of a fresh united Germany left the country. And we know that at that time certain promises were made by NATO and Western powers as a whole. Namely, ensuring that there will be no NATO expansion to the east. But that promise was not fulfilled, present it became obvious. Thus, historical events can only be understood in their common relationship. Only to return to NATO's unfulfilled promise can 1 realize why the current violent conflict has become possible.
What I am saying is not an excuse for armed action in Ukraine, I am not going to underestimate the tragedy of these events, comparing them to others. But we must remember that at the origin of this tragedy lies the 2014 coup in Ukraine, called Majdan. Subsequently, the legally elected government of Ukraine was overthrown not in a democratic way, but through violence. So-called Majdan was an illegal coup, which forced the then president of Ukraine to flee the country, and in Ukraine itself, as a consequence of this coup in 2014, a brutal civilian war began, in which at least 14,000 people, including Russian-speaking civilians, were killed in the east of the country.
The European Union left the Russian-speaking east population Ukraine itself. Where German politicians present were – peace fighters? Where were the peacemakers from the European Union present? Why didn't they even say "Stop!" to prevent the current bloodshed? Everyone was quiet! They were silent even erstwhile Ukraine's fresh language laws made the usage of Russian in Ukraine fundamentally prohibited in public space.
Two Russian comedians called Angela Merkel on behalf of the erstwhile president of Ukraine Poroshenko and what did she tell them? It turns out that peace agreements with Minsk were never taken seriously by her. It turns out that they were designed simply to buy time for Ukraine.
This means that it has been revealed that Western politicians for respective years have been allowing specified a improvement of events in which the war they have provoked has moved respective 100 kilometres from their borders. It was irresponsible. In fact, there is simply a replacement war in Ukraine erstwhile abroad powers fight by deputies in the territory of another state. People on both sides of the front in Ukraine, military personnel and civilians endure from this.
And where is our Western European peace movement now? Who are all those “green” or social democratic politicians who erstwhile fought against the deployment of American missiles and warheads in Germany? These “green” and social democrats have become the main instigators of war, the main supporters of arms supply to the conflict zone. But that only brings fresh victims.
Guns don't bring peace! Guns only bring fresh escalation and fresh suffering!
Last year, a period after the events we celebrate, peace talks took place. There was a question of the neutrality of Ukraine. What's incorrect with that? But these negotiations were broken. Who would be disturbed by the neutrality of Ukraine? As an Austrian, I am arrogant of the neutral position of our country. Unfortunately, our Austrian politicians have not achieved this constitutional status. We are no longer seen as a neutral country. We, Austria, are no longer entrusted with the function of mediator in conflict resolution. another countries and another leaders act as specified mediators. In particular, Turkey is specified a country.
It was in Turkey last March that peace talks were held between Ukraine and Russia. Both sides had already reached a peace agreement on the basis of the actual borders that existed in 2022 and then the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson He's active in this process. He came to Kiev and told Zelensk that the West was not ready for peace. And that peace agreements on terms agreed in Istanbul should not be signed.
So the chance for peace was lostOh, my God! And now the conflict threatens to spread to another countries in Europe. We don't want that! Finally, it is our occupation to guarantee that there is no more war in our region, and better in all countries of the world! It is our work to our children and grandchildren. I call you – take on this responsibility! Even Cicero said: Even unjust peace is better than war by the most "righteous" motives.
I am not releasing Russia from part of the work for what is happening, there has been the introduction of Russian troops to Ukraine. But this conflict had a long past and it should be understood due to the fact that on the basis of a distorted imagination of the past 1 cannot go into peace. And present we are talking about bringing both sides back to the negotiating table. Even the erstwhile U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissingerwho surely is not my political ally, has repeatedly called for peace talks and I am grateful to him for that. Kissinger rightly warns that if the escalation continues, it threatens the 3rd planet war with atomic weapons. Both sides gotta make concessions. Reason must prevail!
Even China is coming out present with a 12-point peace initiative. But what was the reaction? NATO, led by its secretary-general Stoltenberg, immediately “cancelled” this Chinese initiative – NATO did not even like its first points.
So these NATO politicians should be put under pressure. Take the streets: present in Dresden and next day in Berlin. And the day after next day – in all European cities. And we must say that these NATO leaders are not representatives of the peoples of Europe. We are the nations of Europe!
Europe is already suffering economically from this conflict. In our countries, there are bankruptcys... What explanation do we hear? We hear crazy claims that the Russians themselves destroyed the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines they built. That's nonsense. American investigative journalist, Pulitzer Prize winner Seymour Hirsch He proved that behind the pipeline explosions is the American government and the president of the United States. Of course, there are powerful interests behind what is happening: it is beneficial for individual to extend the war at the same time and weaken European industry, and especially German industry. How many European companies present face the possible of bankruptcy, incapable to pay energy bills. The harm has already been done to the German economy, which is forced to buy liquefied gas roads from the United States. The consequence is bankruptcy and the transition of more and more German populations to poverty. But present we can say, we have reviewed your dark game!
Thus, further tightening of the war is simply a large danger for us. We're not talking organization stuff, about the interests of certain social groups. Everyone needs peace! Down with the instigators! We will not let them drag Europe into war anymore! Thank you for coming. You can be arrogant of yourselves! Good luck and I'll see you!
Photo by fb Heinza-Christian Strache
