Over 200 Fellow Party Members Urge Germany's Scholz to Facilitate Talks on Ukraine

BERLIN (Sputnik) - More than 200 members of the ruling Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) have signed an open letter, drawn up by former Chancellor Willy Brandt's son, historian and SPD politician Peter Brandt, calling on incumbent Chancellor Olaf Scholz to facilitate negotiations to resolve the Ukrainian conflict.

The letter, circulated on Friday, advocates peace negotiations and was signed, among others, by former European Commissioner for Enlargement and former Commissioner for Enterprise and Industry Guenter Verheugen, former co-leader of the SPD Norbert Walter-Borjans, ex-Bundestag president Wolfgang Thierse and over 200 other SPD members.

"The danger of escalating hostilities grows with each passing day. The shadow of a nuclear war hangs over Europe. But the world must not slide into a new great war. The world needs peace," the letter, titled "Make peace," read.

The text argues that most Germans do not support endlessly extending "the spiral of violence" and advocates diplomacy and peace instead of the dominance of militarism.

"We call on the chancellor, along with France, to enlist the support of Brazil, China, India and Indonesia to broker a cease-fire soon," the letter said, adding that only this move will make it possible to pave a way for a peace initiative for a common vision of peace in Europe.

The authors stress that peace "can only be achieved under the international law and only with Russia" and quote former Chancellor Brandt as saying that it is necessary to "go against the current when it again tries to go the wrong way."

In February, thousands of Germans rallied near Berlin's iconic Brandenburg Gate to demand that Germany help bring a peace process forward between Ukraine and Russia, instead of funneling deadly weapons to Kiev regime.