Käßmann advocates a ceasefire in Ukraine
Former EKD chairwoman Margot Käßmann has defended calls for a ceasefire in Ukraine. “Negotiation does not mean surrender,” she told the “Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung” (Thursday). “A ceasefire would be a way to get to peace negotiations.” In Russia, too, there are people who stand up for peace. It must be asked how the killing can be stopped as quickly as possible. She emphasized: “There is absolutely no question that we are dealing with a dictator’s war of aggression against a free country, which violates international law.”
“I demonstrated against the Vietnam War back in 1975, and at that time we were told: ‘You are playing into the hands of communism,'” Käßmann told the newspaper. “According to this logic, anyone who works for peace is guilty.” Initially, it was said that purely defensive weapons would be delivered to Ukraine. “German tanks are shooting at Russian soldiers – that can’t be a solution either.”
Käßmann explained that she did not deny Ukraine the right to defend itself. “But I think we Germans shouldn’t deliver weapons, because otherwise we’ll gradually become a party to the war ourselves.” Solidarity isn’t just shown in the delivery of weapons. “The peace movement has to constantly justify itself because it is against arms deliveries. Those who are in favor of arms deliveries also bear responsibility, because arms are not just the solution, they cost human lives every day,” she criticized.
“Ideally, I envision a world without guns,” she said. “It’s a vision I don’t want to give up. At the moment everyone is only talking about rearmament, but we urgently need the huge sums that are being invested for education or climate protection.