During a socialist gathering in Göteborg, leading voices of the Nordic left reiterated their enduring solidarity with Ukraine. Nooshi Dadgostar also underlined her concern with the condition of Ukrainian refugees and called for a continuing dialogue between the left in Sweden and Ukraine.
In discussion with Leonidas Aretakis Terne and Håkan Svenneling, we talked about countering contemporary imperialisms, which, in their competition, keep inciting mutual hatred, destroying possibilities for cooperation, and threatening peace in Palestine, Ukraine, Kurdistan, or Taiwan.
Our comrade, Jonas Sjöstedt, stood with us from the beginning of the war. In the exchange, he mentioned the broad interest of the Swedish media in his articles about Ukrainian civil society. Jonas also shared several ideas about possible mutual efforts for a better tomorrow for the people of Ukraine.
Together with Håkan Svenneling, we had a seminar on the agenda for the left in the war in Ukraine. No issues often causing misunderstanding were left out, including those of the EU and NATO. We concluded that people's physical security is a fundamental precondition to further peaceful development. By combining forces, we can enforce democratic accountability, create a space for a strong union voice, and shape conditions for a socially just future. People to people, city to city, union to union.
In conversation with Pelle Dragsted, we discussed the progress in the cooperation of Enhedslisten and Соціальний рух. We also shared concerns about the pitiful and one-sided official position of Ukraine on the bloodshed in Gaza, which would undoubtedly be used to break solidarity. Under no circumstances civilians must be held hostage in the war! And meaningful peace in Palestine, as in Ukraine, is only possible with the end of the occupation.
Ultimately, this weekend in the company of hundreds of like-minded comrades was a breath of fresh air in today's musty political environment.