Ende Gelände condemns Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine

Ende Gelände sharply condemns Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, which violates international law. At the same time, the action alliance rejects further investments in fossil energy infrastructure and the armament efforts of the federal government. Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced the new plans in a government statement on Sunday. Instead, Ende Gelände calls for immediately abandoning fossil fuels and a radical turnaround in energy and heating.

“We stand in solidarity with democratic civil society in Ukraine. Ende Gelände calls for humanitarian aid and for refugees to be taken in in solidarity. Russia must immediately withdraw all troops from Ukraine and end the attack. Our solidarity also goes to the people in Russia who are protesting against the war despite the harshest repression,” said spokeswoman Elia Nejem.

Put a stop to war profiteers

Despite massive emissions and environmental destruction, the armaments industry has so far hardly been the focus of climate policy discussions. Ende Gelände resolutely rejects the government’s plans to spend 100 billion euros on upgrading the German armed forces, with reference to climate justice.

“The war industry kills! Arming does not mean the end of war, but to keep destroying our planet. War makes every crisis worse, including the climate crisis. The defense industry profits from war and destruction and emits huge amounts of greenhouse gases. We want to put a stop to those who profited from the war as well as those who profited from the climate crisis,” explains Elia Nejem.

She continues: “Instead of highly armed states and a return to the Cold War, Ende Gelände calls for the immediate exit from gas as a consequence of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. Not states, oligarchs and shady corporations should control the energy supply, but all of us. Energy supplies should be decentralized, renewable and climate-friendly. We need heat pumps instead of guns. Instead of renewing arms, billions should be invested in a radical heating and energy transition. An immediate exit from oil, coal and gas prevents further refilling of war chests.”

The action alliance announces further resistance to the planned LNG (liquefied natural gas terminal) in Brunsbüttel and Wilhelmshaven. Already last summer, the alliance protested against the planned construction of the liquefied natural gas terminal in Brunsbüttel. The Kiel Canal was blocked for several hours.

“The same policies and corporations that made us dependent on Russian gas now want us to believe that fossil gas from Qatar is the better answer. Gas obtained by fracking practices, coming from the US or Argentina also means displacement, death and destruction. We will resist this continuation of colonial violence and make the immediate gas phase-out possible.”