Dear colleagues, dear comrades,

I would like to welcome you also on behalf of Reiner Braun, who is one of the hosts for the International Peace Bureau, IPB, and cannot be here today. As a reminder, the IPB was founded in 1891 by Bertha von Suttner and the socialist Jean Jaures. Today it is present in 85 countries and thus includes 440 organisations.

Reiner – some of you already met him yesterday – was a director and executive director of IPB for a decade. More than 40 years ago, he was intensively involved in the implementation of the ‘Krefeld Appeal’ against the stationing of medium-range missiles in Germany in the early 1980s and in the founding of various occupation-related peace structures such as ‘Athletes for Peace’, but also scientists and artists.

A month ago, on 3 October, the largest demonstration of the peace movement in years took place in Berlin. More than 42,000 people marched in three columns through Berlin. It was a great start for a peace movement that is growing rapidly and a clear signal to those in government. Thanks also to resistant trade unionists, resistant social democrats and the supportive participation of BSW.

Reiner Braun with the group ‘Never Again War’ was an essential part of the political concept of addressing the concerns of the population and having them represented by a broad list of speakers. Sectarianism of any kind was rejected.

This captured the momentum. The peace movement is alive and growing stronger and, despite all its diversity, it has a clear focus – in addition to its orientation towards diplomacy instead of weapons – based on the threat situation

• Medium-range weapons: first-strike weapons, centres, nuclear, hypersonic – preventive, conventional and nuclear use, unique to Germany
• Attacking Russia’s centres means nuclear war
• On 3 October, the ‘Berlin Appeal’ was launched to collect mass signatures with the aim of holding a referendum and providing a basis for further major actions at the deployment site as well.
• The goal: to make the deployment of US medium-range weapons politically unfeasible by 2026!

What we want: No Europe in ruins, but peace and disarmament, i.e. a new security architecture in Europe based on the concept of common security with the inclusion of Russia.

We are in the midst of an impending danger of escalation towards a major nuclear world war. The 3 hotspots (Ukraine, West Asia/‘Middle East’ and Indo-Pacific) are acutely exacerbating the escalation dynamic towards an all-consuming war.

NATO, driven by the USA, is further exacerbating the situation in view of the progressive loss of hegemony: in Europe/Germany, in particular through the deployment of long-range weapons against Russia. We need your help from all over Europe to prevent this deadly move!

This military bloc against the independence and equality of the Global South with US medium-range weapons is bringing Europe to the brink of its existence – we must do everything we can to stop this death march!

The simultaneous medium- and long-range production in Europe – keyword ELSA (European Long Strike Approach) – must be rejected and prevented in the same way as the stationing of US weapons.

Better coordination in Europe, forming structures that go in the same strategic direction and that create active participation of the population. There are important dates in 2025 when we can act simultaneously and create counter-pressure:

• 8 May – marking 80 years of liberation from fascism
• NATO summit – 75 years of NATO – the counter-summit in The Hague on 21-22 June
• 50 years of the CSCE Helsinki Conference on 1 August
• more

For an end to the wars in Ukraine and Palestine/Lebanon!