Let’s Revisit The Tyranny of the Putin Regime in Ukraine
Opposition to war is ingrained in Pirate values. Pirates have stood firmly against the aggression of Putins’s regime and in support of Ukraine’s sovereignty. The conflict in Ukraine has been a rallying call for us. Pirate Parties International responded swiftly in solidarity with Ukraine. We began volunteer activities to support Ukraine with donations. Some of our members even travelled to Ukraine, risking their own lives to provide aid. Three years later the conflict continues. We may be at a crossroads where the US government seems to be switching sides, and we worry for the future of the region. There have been growing untruths (especially by the current US President) that question whether Russia under Putin’s tyranny is really the aggressor, which seem to defy objective logic and rationality. With this in mind, we at PPI felt that it is important that our organization revisit the facts and express our continued solidarity with the people of Ukraine and Russia who continue to suffer from this conflict.
Pirates made it clear that the Putin government’s breach of international law is unacceptable. Such statements began within hours of the war’s onset, as the Pirate Party of Russia made it clear that they oppose the aggressive military aggression of “He Who Must Not Be Named”, a statement that was forced to redacted but nonetheless still retains its concern for “reconstructionist ambitions: https://pirate-party.ru/vojna-putina-s-ukrainoj/
Pirates joined in an unequivocal denunciation of the attack from the Russian military. PPI launched a campaign called #Pirates4Ukraine to coordinate support for those affected by the war. Svein Mork Dahl, the Chair of the Pirate Party of Norway at the time, and Marc Anthony, the Chair of the Pirate Party of the Netherlands at the time, and other Pirates, personally traveled to Ukraine to deliver aid. A joint statement by the European Pirate Party and PPI on February 25, 2022 declared that “It is inherent for the Pirate movement to oppose war. Violence, and the motives behind them, are contrary to the ideals of freedom, democracy, cooperation, and the respect for human rights”
Pirate Parties around the world echoed this stance. For example, the United States Pirate Party voted to endorse the international Pirate statement, categorically opposing the invasion of Ukraine: https://masspirates.org/blog/2022/03/02/we-oppose-russias-invasion-of-ukraine/
Pirate Party Australia also endorsed the statement and urged its own government to do more:
The Pirate Party of Germany also condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine, describing it as a breach of international law and supporting military aid in a strongly worded statement entitled “Are the real fascists in Moscow?”:
The Czech Pirates, one of the strongest parties during this time, also insisted on supporting humanitarian aid for Ukraine. Czech Pirate MEP Markéta Gregorová helped push through a €35 billion EU financial assistance package for Ukraine, backed by frozen Russian assets:
Pirates in both Ukraine and Russia have recognized that Putin´s Russia regime is an aggressor.
The article details a statement released the day after the invasion, in which the Russian Pirates declared that
We backed EU resolutions condemning the invasion, urging tough sanctions on Putin’s regime and aid for Ukrainian refugees. At the same time, true to our Pirate principles, we argued for measured responses. We are against internet censorship in any form. As German Pirate MEP Patrick Breyer warned:
At PPI, we thus want to continue to support both people in Ukraine and Russia. We want to make a clear distinction between the tyrannical Putin regime that represents a small group of people who have usurped power and the Russian people, who also suffer from this conflict. We want to ensure that there are not boycotts and embargos that further isolate normal people from one another. We also want to pressure Putin´s regime to end its aggression, as we fear of a return of the Soviet Union. We wonder how can we continue to support Pirates in Ukraine and Russia to express their views. How can we end this conflict in a way that will oppose authoritarianism and give individuals in these countries power to express themselves and live in peace? We want to remind the world that we must continue to support humanitarian efforts in Ukraine, speak out against misinformation, reject hegemons, and stand for a free Ukraine and Russia where citizens can express themselves and everyone can be free to live their lives in peace.
