“If we would come out of this discussion with a clarion call to spread the news about the Putin peace proposal—because it’s not discussed in the media—if we would come out with some endorsement of this proposal, I think we would take a giant step forward."—Helga Zepp-LaRouche
International Peace Coalition #55 Opening Proceedings
The 55th consecutive meeting of the International Peace Coalition (IPC) was convened today with a major focus on the June 14 proposal that Russian President Vladimir Putin presented before Foreign Ministry senior staff, for a new Eurasian security architecture as the foundation for global peace. His proposal is not exclusive in any way—NATO members are welcome to join—and is based on China’s Five Principles of Peaceful Co-Existence. Given the deafening silence of the mainstream media regarding the true content of the proposal, which to date has been scoffed at by Western “leaders,” the intention of the IPC meeting was to serve as a platform to launch a worldwide campaign to bring awareness to the international community that this proposal may be the last chance to derail World War III.
Helga Zepp-LaRouche, founder of the Schiller Institute and initiator of the IPC, opened the meeting with her observation that a growing number of people have a terrible feeling that the “war machine is coming closer and closer, and that the situation is escalating by the day.” People such as Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić have warned that war may break out within 3 to 5 months. Zepp-LaRouche expressed her belief that this is one of the most dangerous periods in history, and in that context presented an elaboration of Putin’s proposal. She cited a statement by Russia’s Permanent Representative to the UN Office in Geneva Gennady Gatilov, who said that the Euro-Atlantic security system has completely failed, and that Putin’s June 14 proposal is the foundation for a new global security architecture in the era of multipolarity.
Zepp-LaRouche continued by pointing out the fact that there is a remarkable “affinity” between what President Putin is proposing, and what she herself and the Schiller Institute have been fighting for since the outbreak of the special military operation: namely her Ten Principles of a New International Security and Development Architecture. Commenting on a recent statement by Russian economist Sergey Glazyev, in which he says that “the cause of the military escalation is the bankruptcy of the Western financial system, which will sooner or later erupt in a full-scale social and economic catastrophe if the United States insists to keep the system up at all costs,” she noted that this is exactly what American physical economist Lyndon LaRouche had been forecasting since 1971: that Nixon’s abandonment of the fixed exchange rate system would lead to a new depression, a new fascism and the danger of world war. Were war to break out with Russia, Europe would have no way to survive, and therefore the population must be mobilized to stand against this.
An appeal to support Putin’s peace initiative, drafted by the East German Board of Trustees of Associations (Ostdeutsches Kuratorium von Verbänden, or OKV), was read to the meeting participants by IPC co-moderator Anastasia Battle. Helga Zepp-LaRouche voiced her full support for this initiative and at the conclusion of today’s meeting, the participants in the meeting overwhelmingly supported the OKV appeal. The IPC will shortly be releasing a full statement of support.
Joachim Bonatz, Vice President of the OKV, followed by expressing his conviction that only Russia and the NATO block can stop the conflict, and that is why the OKV is supporting Putin’s proposal. President Putin has warned that if the West continues its objective of a strategic defeat of Russia, Russia may be forced to change its no-first-use nuclear doctrine. Thus, a unified approach is necessary to build support for the Putin initiative to prevent an escalation of the war.
Ray McGovern, a former CIA analyst and co-founder of the Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS), began his remarks by stating that Putin, in his speech of June 14, “took off the rhetorical gloves”: “We have come dangerously close to the point of no return. Calls to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia … despite the fact that Russia possesses the largest arsenal of nuclear weapons may demonstrate the extreme recklessness of Western politicians,” said Putin. McGovern’s assessment is that the intention of Russia’s recently signed mutual defense pact with North Korea is deterrence: If the Biden administration, in a last ditch gambit, tries to escalate the war before the U.S. Presidential election—perhaps with the use of low-yield nuclear weapons—Russia can respond not only in the West, but in the East as well.
Donald Ramotar, former President of Guyana (2011-2015), stated his belief that the loss of international influence by the West is driving its actions, including the seizing of Russia’s assets, and that this is causing a growing number of nations to “migrate” towards the BRICS. These nations want to have greater freedom to deal with their own affairs without fear of sanctions. He voiced his full support for Putin’s proposal, characterizing it as the only sensible proposal at this time that has the potential to prevent a third world war.
Colonel Alain Corvez (ret.), former advisor to the French Ministry of the Interior, in agreement with prior speakers, stressed the importance of the Putin proposal, and the potential it has to open the door for negotiations. The problem is that the leaders of the West, particularly the United States, are “nihilists” who want to preserve their hegemony. This is the root of both the conflict in Gaza and in Ukraine. Because the leaders are irrational and corrupt, therefore it is up to the people to act.
Jacques Cheminade, President of the Solidarité et Progrès political party in France, began by commenting on the recent EU Parliament elections, characterizing the outcome as a “wave of discontent against Macron.” French President Macron is finished, but the question is, what’s next? The problem is that all the other parties are for war. That is why Cheminade has decided to run as a candidate in the upcoming French legislative elections—his campaign fully endorsed by Helga Zepp-LaRouche. Cheminade stated his intention to put pressure on all other candidates in France to agree on three fundamental points: no more delivery of weapons to Ukraine; dissolution of NATO; and peace based on common development.
Zepp-LaRouche, in response to a question during the discussion period, warned that we are dangerously close to a “tipping point”: Experts such as Steven Starr and Ted Postol have stated that the time leaders have to make decisions on the launching of nuclear weapons has shortened to such an extent that “we are hanging by a thin thread.” Her belief is that one of the most dangerous mythologies in the West is that “Putin is bluffing.” Putin has shown remarkable patience, but that does not mean that Russia does not have red lines. If people were aware of “how few minutes there are between us and extinction, people would not sleep anymore.”
In her closing remarks, Zepp-LaRouche once again emphasized the importance of supporting the OKV’s appeal to endorse Putin’s peace initiative. She expressed her conviction that only if there is a move to the spirit of the Treaty of Westphalia, based on securing the interests of every single country on the planet, will there be a chance for peace: “Putin’s proposal is the greatest approximation to [the Treaty of Westphalia]…. It’s a suggestion to go back to diplomacy; a very serious suggestion to go back to negotiations instead of war.” And that is why his proposal could be the last chance to save civilization.
