New Appeal for Ceasefire Negotiation in Ukraine Published in German Daily Die Zeit

June 30, 2022 (EIRNS)—A list of 21 prominent Germans and two international signers, Richard Falk and Jeffrey Sachs, published in today’s issue of the German daily Die Zeit a new appeal to Western governments for an all-out and immediate effort to achieve a quick, negotiated solution to the Ukraine conflict. Among the German signers is Gen. Erich Vad (ret.), former military advisor to Angela Merkel. An immediate reaction from Ukrainian Ambassador to Berlin Andriy Melnyk followed.

The signers call for a “diplomatic full-scale offensive” as the only way to get out of “the present dead-end,” referring to military experts, who consider victory for Ukraine—with a return of all allegedly occupied territories including Donetsk, Lugansk, and Crimea—unrealistic. They question continuing weapons deliveries, and demand, “An Immediate Ceasefire,” in the title of their call. “Continuing the war to achieve full victory of Ukraine over Russia leads to thousands of further victims of war, who die for a goal that does not seem realistic.”

In an immediate reaction to this, Ukrainian Ambassador and attack-dog in Berlin, Andriy Melnyk, had a fit on Twitter, referring to some of the signers: “Not again, what a bunch of pseudo-intellectual losers you all Varwicks, Vads, Kluges, Prechts, Yogeshwars, Zehs & Co. should finally go to Hell with your defeatist ‘advice’. Bye. Andriy Melnyk to Augstein, Precht and Co.: Schert Euch zum Teufel!”

The letter was signed by Jakob Augstein (publicist), Richard A. Falk (professor of international law), Svenja Flaßpöhler (philosopher), Thomas Glauben (professor of agricultural economics), Josef Haslinger (writer), Elisa Hoven (professor of criminal law), Alexander Kluge (filmmaker and author), Christoph Menke (professor of philosophy), Wolfgang Merkel (professor of political science), Julian Nida-Rümelin (philosopher), Robert Pfaller (philosopher), Richard D. Precht (philosopher), Jeffrey Sachs (professor of economics), Michael von der Schulenburg (former UN diplomat), Edgar Selge (actor), Ilija Trojanow (writer), General (ret.) Erich Vad (former military advisor to Angela Merkel), Johannes Varwick (professor of international politics), Harald Welzer (social psychologist), Ranga Yogeshwar (science journalist), and Juli Zeh (writer).