United Peace Movement for Ukraine

On March 2, the United for Peace Movement held a rally in front of the European Parliament in Brussels to show support for Ukraine. United for Peace is a social movement organized by the Lithuanian World Community and Ukraine World Congress connecting Lithuanian, Latvian, Estonian and Ukraine international communities.

As the members of the movement told Diplomat Magazine, the main idea behind their movement is to show support for the people of Ukraine and to show their readiness to stand for peace in Europe and the rest of the world, for democratic values and for essential fundamental human rights.

The Georgian community also joined the demonstration, as they filled up Luxembourg Square with hundreds of people who came to show solidarity with Ukraine. The main demand of the protesters was to end the war in Ukraine. They also demanded more effective measures from the EU via: tightening sanctions and imposing a no-fly zone over Ukraine. The demonstrators also held banners demanding Ukraine’s accession to the European Union.

The movement had support and speeches at the event from MEPs from Lithuania: MEPs from Lithuania include Andrius Kubilius, Aušra Maldeikiene, Rasa Junkeviciene, Petras Austrevicius; MEPs from Latvia: Dace Melbārde, Sandra Kalniete, Ivars Ījabs, Inese Vaidere; MEPs from Germany: Sergey Lagodinsky, Michael Gahler. MEPs from Estonia: Marina Kaljurand, Urmas Paet, and the Ambassador of Estonia to Belgium: Artur Kink.

They all condemned Russia’s aggression and expressed solidarity with Ukraine. Their positions were clear and strong: “Aggression cannot be tolerated and war has to stop.”

Diplomat Magazine also talked to the Georgian participants of the rally. Lia Jobava, a mother of three, who was at the rally with her 2-month-old daughter said: “We have been fighting Russian aggression for generations. Ukraine should be the last case. I do not want my children to stand in the future as my mother stood on April 9, 1989 in Tbilisi or as I am standing here against Russian aggression. We all need to be able to stand together and stop this cycle. Today, Ukrainian mothers are making the most painful sacrifices to protect our children, I, as a mother, ask that the Ukrainian sky be covered from Russian bombers. End Russian aggression once and for all!”

One of the protesters, Khatia Ozashvili, spoke about the threat posed by Russia and stressed that Ukraine and Georgia have the right to choose for themselves where their future will be. “To protect our rights, we do not want Russia to enter Georgia again tomorrow. Freedom to Ukraine and Georgia! And to the future of Europe!”

Teona Lavrelashvili, a fellow of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, who also attended the rally, said that the main issue, of course, was the cessation of hostilities in Ukraine and the expulsion of Russia from the UN Security Council. She also talked about Georgia’s European perspective and claimed that although it is true that all attention is now focused on Ukraine, Georgia has also experienced aggression from Russia, which continues under occupation, and thus Georgia has paid the price for which it deserves EU candidate status.