https://sputnikglobe.com/20230706/codepink-call-for-talks-on-ukraine-ceasefire-needed-unfortunate-us-blocks-efforts-1111707660.html
CodePink: Call for Talks on Ukraine Ceasefire Needed, Unfortunate US Blocks Efforts
CodePink: Call for Talks on Ukraine Ceasefire Needed, Unfortunate US Blocks Efforts
Sputnik International
Co-founder of women-led peace group CODEPINK Medea Benjamin told Sputnik there is a need for a call for a ceasefire and talks in Ukraine and it is regrettable that Washington is preventing it.
2023-07-06T21:26+0000
2023-07-06T21:26+0000
2023-07-06T23:10+0000
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"I think there needs to be a call for a ceasefire and negotiations and it's unfortunate that the United States has stymied this call," Benjamin said, recalling past negotiations and China's earlier proposal on the matter.Benjamin stressed peace activists have been supporting all of the calls for peace including by the six heads of states from Africa, the Pope, China as well as by Brazil. "All of these efforts are important, and we're trying to push our own government to get on board, to be part of pushing for a solution," she stressed, adding that she firmly opposes giving Kiev more possibilities to join NATO as it would prompt more issues. Ukraine applied for accelerated NATO membership in September 2022 following the start of the Russian military operation in February of that year. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said the alliance was not ready to approve Ukraine's application right away, chiefly due to its active involvement in an armed conflict. Kiev has said it was hoping to receive a clear invitation to join the NATO bloc at the upcoming summit in Vilnius. Moscow said it was open to peace negotiations as long as Kiev recognized the territorial gains Russia made since the launch of the military operation in Ukraine in February 2022.Cluster Munition Shipment Would Be Felt for DecadesWeighing into recent reports detailing the US' possible provision of cluster munitions to Ukraine, Benjamin underscored that the consequences of such a step would be felt for decades and include among them the death and mutilation of children.US media reported the Biden administration was expected to announce Thursday whether it would send cluster bombs to Ukraine; in fact, Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters that the provisions remained "under consideration.""There's an international ban on cluster munitions, and it's appalling that the United States would violate that. There's also a terrible US history of using these cluster munitions in places like Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, that have continued to this day to cause deaths and mutilation of young children who picked up these unexploded ordnance," Benjamin said. Earlier on Thursday, Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia said that the United States supplying cluster munitions to Kiev would represent yet "another step" in escalating the conflict in Ukraine.Earlier this year, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov urged the US against escalating tensions by providing Ukraine with cluster munitions.The decision comes amid concerns that Ukraine's counteroffensive against Russia-held territories has stalled.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230430/chinas-ukraine-peace-plan-platform-to-start-process-of-political-settlement-of-ukraine-conflict-1109984415.html
https://sputnikglobe.com/20230706/ukraine-may-use-cluster-ammo-against-civilians-as-part-of-terror-tactics-1111703767.html
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CodePink: Call for Talks on Ukraine Ceasefire Needed, Unfortunate US Blocks Efforts
21:26 GMT 06.07.2023 (Updated: 23:10 GMT 06.07.2023) WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - Co-founder of women-led peace group CODEPINK Medea Benjamin told Sputnik there is a need for a call for a ceasefire and talks in Ukraine and it is regrettable that Washington is preventing it.
"I think there needs to be a call for a ceasefire and negotiations and it's unfortunate that the United States has stymied this call," Benjamin said, recalling past negotiations and China's earlier proposal on the matter.
Benjamin stressed peace activists have been supporting all of the calls for peace including by the six heads of states from Africa, the Pope, China as well as by Brazil.
"All of these efforts are important, and we're trying to push our own government to get on board, to be part of pushing for a solution," she stressed, adding that she firmly opposes giving Kiev more possibilities to join NATO as it would prompt more issues.
"The expansion of NATO was part of the problem to begin with, and trying to bring Ukraine into NATO is just saying that we're not interested in the solution," Benjamin said.
Ukraine applied for accelerated NATO membership in September 2022 following the start of the Russian military operation in February of that year.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said the alliance was not ready to approve Ukraine's application right away, chiefly due to its active involvement in an armed conflict.
Kiev has said it was hoping to receive a clear invitation to join the NATO bloc at the upcoming summit in Vilnius.
Moscow said it was open to peace negotiations as long as Kiev recognized the territorial gains Russia made since the launch of the military operation in Ukraine in February 2022.
Cluster Munition Shipment Would Be Felt for Decades
Weighing into recent reports detailing the US' possible provision of cluster munitions to Ukraine, Benjamin underscored that the consequences of such a step would be felt for decades and include among them the death and mutilation of children.
US media reported the Biden administration was expected to announce Thursday whether it would send cluster bombs to Ukraine; in fact, Pentagon Press Secretary Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters that the provisions remained "under consideration."
"There's an international ban on cluster munitions, and it's appalling that the United States would violate that. There's also a terrible US history of using these cluster munitions in places like Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, that have continued to this day to cause deaths and mutilation of young children who picked up these unexploded ordnance," Benjamin said.
"So, it's a terrible thing to send and it means that the consequences of this conflict in Ukraine will go on for decades."
Earlier on Thursday, Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia said that the United States supplying cluster munitions to Kiev would represent yet "another step" in escalating the conflict in Ukraine.
Earlier this year, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov urged the US against escalating tensions by providing Ukraine with cluster munitions.
The decision comes amid concerns that Ukraine's counteroffensive against Russia-held territories has stalled.
