This conference contributes to bringing to the fore a notion and a slogan – against the war, against the social war – that is crucial as the war in Ukraine has been ongoing for a year and a half, thus rendering it important to strengthen the anti-war fight. All those who saw that the end of the war would come quickly were proven wrong. And it couldn’t have been any other way, since this war is an escalation of clashes that have been going on for much time now in the area that consists of regions from eastern Europe all the way to eastern Africa. These clashes are just the military manifestation of the greater competition in the economic sphere. As long as this capitalistic crisis deepens – a crisis, which was inevitable as it stands at the core of the capitalistic system, the military antagonisms will increase too.

This war is not a just war, from none of the sides involved. It is an imperialistic war, and two fronts are colliding there; on the one hand, the USA and its allies, the EU being the most loyal one, while on the other hand, Russia and its supporters, which comprise countries such as China or the BRICKS, that aim to challenge the American hegemony. On the one hand, Russia has pursued imperialistic policies, aiming to promote its bourgeoisie’s interests, using the so-called “denazification” only as a pretext. On the other hand, Ukraine’s involvement, being the operation theatre of many imperialistic countries’ military forces as well as having surrendered its land and key infrastructure to private monopolies, hardly qualifies as “a just war for freedom and independence”. From both sides, the people are thrown in the battles and are being treated as dispensable, in order for the capital to gain profits and establish dominance over spheres of influence.

The left must say no to war, and no to the social war, which the bourgeoisies are waging against the working classes, while taking advantage of the military war. From the Russian opposition to the French demonstrators, the governments make use of the war to suppress political opposition. This is particularly evident in the EU whose population is heavily influenced by its governments’ decision to fully surrender to the US interests, to the detriment of the people, who have suffered from the increase in the prices, the exorbitant inflation, and the constant threat of war.  The Greek case is a case in point. While the government has increased the military budget to support the supply of army material to Ukraine, they have left the social needs so neglected that people are losing their lives because of it, as a person can die in the centre of Athens due to lack of ambulances. Because of the government’s aim, both of New Democracy and Syriza that preceded, to be perceived as the USA’s closest ally in the region, Greece engages itself in imperialistic expeditions, to Saudi Arabia for example, hoping- in vain of course- to gain an advantage in a case of conflict with Turkey- a conflict which it constantly promotes and provokes and which only serves the bourgeoisie of the two countries. At the same time the Greek bourgeoisie, in particular the shipowners, have unforeseen profits thanks to the war. They carry Russian oil, circumventing the sanctions which only affect the working people that cannot afford to warm up their houses. The exchange of oil between Russian and Greek ships ironically takes place at the same place of the Ionian Sea where a month ago one of the most dreadful shipwrecks happened, claiming the lives of at least 500 migrants who were attempting to flee the wars Europe has inflicted on their countries.

We must fight against all and every war. We must fight first and foremost to defeat the imperialistic formation in which our own state participates; for most of the European countries, that is NATO and the EU. The revolutionary communist forces must strive to take advantage of the ruptures in processes that war can cause because otherwise, radicalization will take the form of the far-right. It is crucial to fight for contemporary Peace, Land, and Bread so that everyone can live with dignity. It is imperative that the revolutionary left stands against the policies that destroy our lives and doesn’t choose between imperialistic poles or the system’s administrators.

Therefore, we must stand against the imperialist war and the social war waged by the bourgeoisie against the working classes, fighting for the anti-capitalistic overthrow of the system and the construction of a new communist society.