Schwerin (dpa/mv) - The nationwide call by the peace movement for a day of action against the war in Ukraine and for disarmament found only a muted response on Saturday in Schwerin in rainy weather. 200 participants were registered, the police estimated the number of demonstrators on the city's market square at less than 100. They demanded an end to arms deliveries to Ukraine and the start of peace negotiations to end the Russian war of aggression that had been going on since mid-February.
Ulrich Leonhardt, the initiator of the Schwerin protest action, admitted that with the annexation of several areas in eastern Ukraine by Russia, the conditions for resuming talks had deteriorated. But an end to the war could only be brought about through negotiations. He criticized the actions of the federal government. "Since Crimea was annexed to Russia in 2014, Germany has also been waging an economic war against Russia. President Vladimir Putin escalated the war by invading Ukraine," said Leonhardt, co-founder of the left-wing "Get Up" movement in Schwerin.
The peace policy networks "Cooperation for Peace" and "Federal Committee for Peace Advice" had called for a decentralized day of action on Saturday. There should be demonstrations in major cities such as Berlin, Stuttgart, Hamburg and Frankfurt. Critics had complained that Russia was not clearly named as the attacker in the call.
