The ongoing war in Ukraine, the escalation in the Middle East just like the war in Sudan or Libya clearly illustrate the deteriorating security situation in Europe. At the same time established institutions like the Organization for Security and Co-operation (OSCE), originally designed to prevent conflicts and manage crisis in Europe, fail to address these issues. All that contributes to the formation of new military blocks in Europe and revives the danger of a nuclear confrontation. Many progressive movements and parties in Europe have hesitated so far to address these critical issues, allowing right-wing forces throughout the continent to dominate the discourse. Until now, there has been no platform for European progressives dedicated to security matters, which could lead to a strategic debate on the ruptures and changes leading to these conflicts and progressive alternatives to the militarization of foreign policy.
Against this backdrop, the Institute for Reconstitution organized a one-day workshop in order to bring together activists, intellectuals and politicians from various different European countries including Russia and Ukraine. The goal of the event was to discuss security-related topics based on contributions for a new security architecture in Europe. In three sessions the participants analyzed the historical roots contributing to instability and military conflicts, and assessed possibilities and limits of a new European security system that could eventually lead to the end of the war in Ukraine and to prevent existing contradictions from escalating into armed conflicts.
During the debate, there was a consensus among the participants that a new security architecture for Europe is a prerequisite for the future peaceful development of the continent. The views differ on the position towards military alliances such as NATO or CSTO. Greg Yudin and Ilya Budraitskis (both IGRec) argued in their contribution that Europe´s division into two rival blocks perpetuates hostilities and undermines efforts to build a stable long-term peace. They propose a new overarching security structure that includes all European states (including Russia) without necessarily abolishing existing organizations like NATO, CSTO or the OSCE. Against the backdrop of a new imperial competition that determines the geopolitical situation, Gilbert Achcar (SOAS London) argued, that sustainable peace is only possible if existing military alliances are dissolved. Moreover, he suggested concrete steps towards peace building (freezing the conflict, transition to confidence-building measures) in order to provide meaningful alternatives to the ongoing military escalation and offer a window of opportunity for real politics beyond violence. Axel Gehring, spokesman for foreign policy of the German Left Party, introduced the concept of “common” as opposed to “collective” security. According to Gehring, deep-seated tensions can only be reduced if security is understood as a common task. Security interests are therefore no longer defined primarily from a nation-state perspective or the perspective of military blocs, but within a common European area. In this regard, he called for a demilitarization in order to contain the war within its regional borders and prevent it from growing into a global nuclear confrontation.
Another important point of discussion was the assessment of military support for Ukraine and rearmament policies in the EU member states. Christian Zeller (University of Salzburg) called for the appropriation of the arms industry both in Ukraine and Europe in order to ensure democratic control and to prevent concentration of power by factions of capital. In a similar vein, Oleksandr Kyselov (Socialny Rukh), argued only a socialization of critical infrastructure would give the people of Ukraine the means to influence the country´s development. The militarization of the region is exacerbating the conflicts in and around other post-Soviet states such as Moldova. In her contribution, Inna Supac (Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies, EU Eastern Enlargement) argued that the supposed division into a pro-EU and a pro-Russian camp obscures the contradictions within Moldovan society. Social impoverishment as a result of capitalist transformation and the oligarchization of society are in fact important reasons for the polarization of the country.
Finally, the participants discussed the current situation in Ukraine. Volodymyr Artiukh (Socialny Rukh) pointed out that while the Ukrainian state has significantly expanded its military and political power, it remains economically dependent on foreign aid. Michael Hertoft (Solidaritaet) reported on the diverse civil society initiatives and forms of self-organization, which are, however, coming under increasing pressure. Michail Lobanov and Evgeni Stupin (both Committee for Just Peace and Radical Democracy) reported on current developments in Russia and reflected on the possibilities and limits of organizing left-wing forces in the country.
The forum is envisioned as a foundational step towards a common political agenda for Europe's progressive forces. The next steps will focus on creating a common discussion platform in order to tackle security issues together. In this context, it will be crucial to extend the platform to progressive forces in other European countries. In addition, the position papers already developed will serve as a basis for strategy discussions with key players in the EU and member states and will be further developed.
Participants:
Gilbert Achcar (SOAS London)
Volodymyr Artiukh (Socialny Rukh, Ukraine)
Hanna Bohrer (Movement pour la Socialisme, Switzerland)
Alexander Formozov (IGRec, Russia)
Axel Gehring (spokesman for foreign policy of the German Left Party, Germany)
Lisa Gürth (Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation, Germany)
Joanna Gwiazdeczka (Rosa-Luxemburg-Foundation, Germany)
Michael Hertoft (Solidaritaet, Denmark)
Felix Jaitner (IGRec, Germany)
Oleksandr Kyselov (Socialny Rukh, Ukraine)
Dmitrii Lebedev (IGRec, Russia)
Michail Lobanov (Committee for Just Peace and Radical Democracy, Russia)
Maria Menshikova (Posle Media, Russia)
Philipp Schmid (Movement pour la Socialisme, Switzerland)
Stanislav Sergienko (Socialny Rukh, Ukraine)
Evgenii Stupin (Committee for Just Peace and Radical Democracy, former deputy of Moscow City Council, Russia)
Inna Șupac (Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies, EU Eastern Enlargement, Moldova)
Sergey Tsukasov (Committee for Just Peace and Radical Democracy, former deputy of Moscow City Council, Russia)
Fabian Wisotzky (Rosa-Luxemburg-Foundation, Germany)
Greg Yudin (IGRec, Russia)
Alexandra Zapolskaya (IGRec, Russia)
Christian Zeller (University of Salzburg, Switzerland)
