DOCUMENTS

There is nothing wrong with Russia protecting its territory - EFF

Julius Malema leads delegation to meet with Russian Ambassador Ilya Rogachev in Tshwane

EFF statement after meeting with the embassy of the Russian Federation in SA

16 March 2022

The Leadership of the Economic Freedom Fighters led by the President and Commander in Chief Julius Malema held a meeting with the embassy of the Russian Federation in South Africa led by Ambassador Ilya Rogachev in Tshwane on Wednesday, the 16th of March 2022.

The meeting was essentially about receiving a first-hand briefing from the Russian Federation's embassy on the ongoing military operations in Ukraine. The meeting was additionally about the EFF's re-confirmation of its anti-imperialist position, which is that the USA led War Alliance of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) must not be permitted to further expand to anywhere else in the world because it is a threat to global peace, security and stability.

The EFF leadership has taken note that contrary to the master Western and imperialist narrative on the ongoing military operations in Ukraine, the following are indisputable facts and reality.

Western imperialist forces have been for many years using the former Republics of the United Socialist Soviet Republics (USSR) as satellites which essentially seek to threaten and undermine Russia's security and stability.

Despite several commitments that NATO will not continue to expand its reach and bases after the collapse of the USSR in 1991, NATO continues to expand, recruiting new members and therefore threatening the security of the neighbouring countries.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization has already recruited the former Soviet Republics of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania into NATO, and was in the process of recruiting Ukraine into NATO, which poses a serious security threat to the Russian Federation.

The United States has established biological weapons laboratories in Ukraine with the purpose of using these against the Russian population.

The government of Ukraine has since 2014 been engaging in genocide in the Eastern regions of Donbass and Luhansk and there has never been global condemnation of these genocidal activities.

International sporting bodies such as the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) have gone beyond their long-held principle of not entertaining political dynamics and have begun excluding Russia's sporting codes from international tournaments and competitions.

Many Western countries are wholly isolating, banishing, and discriminating against Russian citizens.

Russia's special military operations in Ukraine, unlike the military operations of the US in Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq and Libya, have not targeted civilians and civilian infrastructure, yet Western and imperialist media platforms are portraying a false and misleading picture.

The Russian Federation is entitled to Equal and Indivisible Security which essentially means that, "if some countries co-exist in a particular region, they are supposed to have common security interests. Consequently, they need inclusive international platforms to communicate. The concept of indivisible security emphasizes the need for equal, written rules to regulate international behaviour and does not recognise the right of nations to act on the basis of 'narrow loyalties' to friends and allies".

The conduct of the NATO War Alliance and its continuous expansion to Eastern Europe undermines the principle of Equal and Indivisible Security and must not be permitted.

The EFF is convinced that there is absolutely nothing wrong with the Russian Federation averting what is a patent and clear security threat to Russian territory and people by NATO forces and particularly the United States.

The US in particular will not permit Russia or any other country in the world to establish military bases in nearby countries and thereby threatening their security. The reported establishment of biological weapons laboratories in Ukraine and other countries in the world must be condemned by the United Nations' Security Council and all peace-loving people of the world.

The EFF condemns the sanctions imposed on Russia and calls on all progressive forces of the world to increase their trade relations with Russia to decisively avert the impact of these sanctions. If the sanctions against Russia succeed, the USA and all its satellites and Western imperialists will perpetually utilize these to intimidate and subjugate countries that do not agree with their intention to pillage and steal the natural and economic resources of their countries.

All progressive forces in the world, particularly China and India must lead a process that will rescue the world from American imperialism and systems of trade and exchange.

The USA has for many years abused its control of the world's reserve currency and control of many trade and exchange systems. The world deserves better and more suitable countries that will lead towards common prosperity and not abuse their military strengths to undermine and subjugate the whole world to their dictates and narrow aspirations.

The people of South Africa and the entire African continent must never turn their backs against Russia because it was essentially the Russia led USSR that provided ideological, political and military training and support in the war against colonialism. Russia has never and will never use its military strength and capacity to colonize the African continent or any other parts of the world. Russia has an obligation to protect its country, people and all natural resources against constant threats from the USA led Western empire.

The EFF unapologetically calls on all the progressive forces of the world to reject NATO's expansionist practices. We call for an end to the establishment and manufacturing of biological weapons.

We call on the government of Ukraine to completely abandon its intentions to join the war alliance of NATO now and in the future. We demand that the USA must desist from sponsoring the neo-Nazi and ultra nationalist forces that have since the 2014 coup de tat done everything in their power to wipe out Russians from Ukraine's territory.

Issued by Sinawo Thambo, National Spokesperson, EFF, 16 March 2022