As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has intensified, protestors in Cardiff gathered to call for peace.
Hundreds of people marched through the streets of Cardiff last week to protest against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The protest was organized by the Stop the War coalition and while the majority of people wanted to see an end to Russian aggression, there were others who wanted to see action from the West.
“It was important to stand against the war in Ukraine and against the warmongers, East and West,” said Dr Adam Johannes, from the Stop The War Coalition. “I think it’s really a threat to not only Ukrainian people most obviously but both sides of the region.”
Giving a speech to the crowds on Queen Street in the city centre, Dr Johannes made a call to see Russian troops out of Ukraine as well as no further expansion of NATO in Eastern Europe.
“The only way to win World War Three is to stop World War Three,” he said.
Stephen Thomas, from Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, said: “NATO, in a sense, not only contributed to continuing instability, but image enlargement since the turn of the millennium, has further questioned exactly its claims to be a defensive alliance.”
But Dr James Ryan, Senior Lecturer in Modern European (Russian) History in Cardiff university, think that a call for no further NATO expansion is naive and reckless.
“I’m sure that the Ukrainian people will want to join NATO, and I think the moral argument for ensuring that Ukraine joins NATO would be very, very great,” he said. “I think that’s the only way Ukraine can meaningfully defend its sovereignty. against possible future Russian aggression.”
NATO member states such as Britain are already sending weapons to help Ukraine fight the Russian invasion. Russia has put its nuclear forces on “special alert” to counter NATO’s aggression.
Dr Johannes criticized the conflict in Ukraine is not just a fight, but also will cause a substantial global economic crisis.
Dr James said: “Both Ukraine and Russia combined are basically the world’s largest exporter of all some, a fleet of cereal grains etc. Already before this board in Wales, we have seen a rise in food prices and in the cost of living just a few months ago in this country.”
Dr Johannes also said the war would have huge international repercussions and increase militarization in Europe with arms races, military spending, and so on. “Belarus stationed the story about stationing Russian nuclear weapons on this soil, as the world peace is obviously really growing tension,” said Dr Johannes.
Belarus referendum approves proposal to renounce non-nuclear status recently. According to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, his country would be ready to host “nuclear weapons” if threatened by the West.
Dr James said: “I think the argument for increased military spending in European countries will be very strong. But I think, unfortunately, remilitarization of European politics to a far greater extent than we have seen for 35 to 40 years.”
