"European Solidarity" says it cannot "continue on shared political path" with Honcharenko
The "European Solidarity" parliamentary faction has decided that it can no longer continue on a shared political path with MP Oleksii Honcharenko.
This is stated in a "European Solidarity" statement, Censor.NET reports.
Ideological split with Honcharenko
"'European Solidarity' is a democratic party where there have always been, and will continue to be, discussions, differing views and heated arguments. This is normal for a political force that respects freedom of speech and thought. But for us, there is a fundamental difference between a debate over political tactics and disagreements over basic values and the country’s strategic course," the statement reads.
"European Solidarity" said these principles include a strong Ukrainian army, the Ukrainian language, an independent Ukrainian church, and Ukraine’s membership in the European Union and NATO.
"We are convinced that this is the foundation of Ukrainian statehood, which has helped Ukraine withstand years of war with Russia and must shape its future. These principles do not depend on the political circumstances and cannot be subject to bargaining — either within Ukraine or, even more so, in negotiations with Russia," the statement reads.
The party said Oleksii Honcharenko’s public positions on ending the war and Ukraine’s future security architecture had diverged from the position of "European Solidarity" and its ideological foundations.
"That is why we, the 'European Solidarity' faction, have decided that we can no longer continue on a shared political path because of ideological differences," the party said.
At the same time, the party noted that this decision did not negate years of working together. But party unity cannot be a formality concealing fundamentally different answers to questions about the state’s future.
"At the same time, responsibility for Ukraine’s negotiating position and diplomatic strategy today lies with the authorities, who have a single-party parliamentary majority and full powers. And the broad public debate sparked by Oleksii Honcharenko’s proposals has demonstrated the obvious: the authorities must finally begin an honest conversation with society about how they envisage a realistic path to a ceasefire and a just peace. 'Resilience plans' and 'declarations of strength' no longer provide answers to these questions," the statement reads.
Call for an honest conversation with the authorities
"European Solidarity" believes that "Ukraine needs a broad and difficult discussion about how to end the war, achieve a just peace, obtain effective security guarantees and prevent renewed Russian aggression. And society has the right to know not only what we all aspire to, but also what realistic strategy there is for achieving this goal."
"We are ready for this discussion. But our starting position remains unchanged: peace cannot be paid for by abandoning what Ukraine has fought for and what has enabled it to withstand this war. Compromises may be part of the path towards ending the war. But Ukraine’s independence, its European future, questions of national identity and its right to determine its own security arrangements are not subject to compromise. For us, the unity of a team based on shared values and principles matters. The 'European Solidarity' team is not just a parliamentary faction, but tens of thousands of party members. The most respected among them are our colleagues currently serving in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, whose views and stance on defending the country are of fundamental importance to us," the party said.
Background
- On October 2, MP Oleksii Honcharenko advocated opening negotiations with Russia, with the first step being an agreement to halt strikes on ports, businesses, schools, hospitals, residential areas and bridges. In his view, the parties could then move on to more difficult issues, including Donbas and Ukraine’s neutral status. The MP also stressed that Ukraine must seek ways to stop the war.
- Commenting on Honcharenko’s statements, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine could not "bow" to Russia because, he said, doing so would break the country.
