There may be a consensus in official politics in Britain and some other countries about the need to escalate in Ukraine, but there is growing opposition to the war amongst ordinary people in many parts of Europe.
In Italy, a recent poll showed majority opposition to supplying weapons to Ukraine. Polling in Germany in January found ‘growing evidence of a public that is war-weary, and one that is slowly but surely becoming more concerned about their own economic condition’.
No wonder then that the anniversary of the Russian invasion this coming weekend will see a huge number of protests across the continent meaning that the London demonstration will be part of a Europe-wide weekend of action calling for peace talks.
Events start in Italy on the evening of 23rd February with a march from Perugia to Assisi.
Rafaella Bolini from the Italian peace movement predicts there will be protests in at least one hundred towns and cities on the 24th and 25th February, with a mass rally in Rome on Saturday 25th.
‘Feeling in Italy is running high against supplying arms to Ukraine, the movement is mobilising everywhere’ she said.
In Portugal, demonstrations are planned in seven cities. In Vienna, there is a protest on 24th February and another in Zurich on the 25th. Twenty cities in Germany are holding protests including a major demonstration in Berlin.
There will be a demonstration in Brussels on Sunday 26th and protests across France over the weekend. At least twenty cities in Spain will hold protests for peace with the tagline ‘neither Putin nor NATO’.
All protestors on the demonstrations and protests have been asked to tweet pictures and reports at #EuropeForPeace