May 4, 2022

Pope Francis calls for diplomatic initiatives to end war in Ukraine

Negotiate now!

pax christi is deeply concerned that in our country the conviction that more military support could contribute to a solution is reasserting itself. We note with horror that war rhetoric and war logic have become commonplace in politics and in the press. The danger of an uncontrollable escalation is steadily increasing, which in the final analysis also raises fears of the use of nuclear weapons.

Against this background, the pax christi Federal Executive Board calls on the Federal Government to move forward in the effort to achieve an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine with the involvement of the EU member states. To this end, all available diplomatic channels must be exhausted. As difficult as negotiations may seem at this point, there will be no peace without a negotiated settlement that takes into account the security interests of *all* parties and that everyone can live with.
pax christi very much welcomes the initiative of Pope Francis to seek talks with Russian President Putin in order to search for peaceful solutions to the conflict. Likewise, pax christi supports the Vatican’s important proposal for “a new Helsinki,” a renewed conference on security and cooperation in Europe modeled on the conferences held in the Finnish capital from 1973 to 1975, to negotiate different security interests in Europe with everyone together.
Every day that the war lasts longer prolongs the suffering of the people affected and contributes to the further destruction of Ukraine. In addition, the war is increasingly affecting the poorest, especially in the countries of the Global South, where the lack of grain supplies from Ukraine and Russia is massively exacerbating the hunger crisis. Therefore: out of the spiral of violence – negotiate now!