The Trump-Putin Summit: A Meeting of Two Robber Chiefs
Workers and Oppressed: Fight Imperialism of East and West!
Joint Statement of the Revolutionary Communist International Tendency (RCIT) and the Marxist Group ‘Class Politics’ (Russia), 4 July 2018, www.thecommunists.net and https://mgkp.github.io/
1. The Trump-Putin Summit is highly symbolic for the present world situation. It is a meeting between Presidents who represent two of the most important imperialist powers on this planet. This summit reflects the profound turmoil of the world situation as it takes place against the backdrop of a looming global trade war as well as of wars, sanctions and military tensions in the Middle East, the Ukraine and Northeast Asia. In short, the summit is the result of the massive acceleration of the rivalry between the Great Powers. At the same time, it reflects an attempt of the American and Russian rulers to make deals and find compromises at the expense of the workers and oppressed people around the world.
2. Trump represents the still largest but declining Great Power which attempts to halt its demise by an increasingly aggressive policy characterized by militarism and chauvinism both at home and abroad. Putin represents one of the key imperialist challengers of the US hegemony. Based on an alliance with Chinese imperialism, Russia has been able to expand its sphere of influence in recent years (e.g. in the Middle East).
3. It is a meeting between representatives of reactionary and authoritarian regimes. Trump – a unique symbiosis of a corrupted billionaire and crooked politician – is pressing ahead with chauvinist attacks on migrants and military threats against Iran. Facing the threat of impeachment, he is desperately looking for domestic and foreign adventures. Putin – who is in power since more than 18 years and whose regime is much more consolidated – implements no less reactionary policy than his counterpart in the White House. The recent pension reform and the increase of VAT from 18% to 20% – which are massive attacks against the working people in Russia –, the slaughter of the Syrian people by Russian air force or the ongoing suppression of the Chechen people are testimony of this.
4. We don't know in advance if and which deals these robber barons will agree on. Most likely they will discuss about international sanctions as well as about their conflicting interests in Iran, Syria, the Ukraine and North Korea. But no one should have any illusions in deals agreed between Trump and Putin. Any agreement between these imperialist powers will take place at the expense of the workers and oppressed people around the world. The tragic fate of the Syrian people in the Southern region of Daraa is symbolic for this. When the treacherous FSA leadership of the Syrian rebels agreed to the creation of a so-called ‘de-escalation zone’ in June 2017 guaranteed by Russia, Jordan and the US, people illusionary hoped for peace and stability. One year later, the Great Powers are withdrawing their fake “guarantee” and Assad’s army, with the support of the Russian air force, is advancing. More than 270,000 people have been displaced in this region since Assad’s offensive began on 16 June.
5. The workers and oppressed people must not put trust in any imperialist regime! Our future is dark as long as the world is dominated by Great Powers and as long as people suffer from the consequences of the capitalist system of exploitation and oppression. Only a world federation of socialist workers and peasants republics can ensure a peaceful future for humanity. Only consistent class struggle – independent of any Great Power and of any faction of the bourgeoisie – directed to the international socialist revolution can lead to liberation. Only the creation of a Revolutionary World Party can ensure the victory of the revolutionary struggle. This is what we are fighting for!
6. We denounce those bourgeois and petty-bourgeois organizations which claim to represent the working people in words but which adapt to one or another Great Power in their deeds! Instead, the workers and popular organizations around the world must fight for a socialist program. Such a program must include, among others:
* Workers and Oppressed: Fight Imperialism of East and West! Against all imperialist Great Powers – US, EU, China, Russia, and Japan! No to sanctions and global trade war! Oppose Great Power jingoism! The Main Enemy is at Home!
* We welcome the mass protests in the U.S. which take place in solidarity with the migrants victimized by the racist Trump Administration!
* We welcome the protests in Russia against pension reform! Freedom for Chechnya!
* We send our greetings to the tens of thousands of demonstrators who will protest against Trump’s visit in London on 13 July!
* Solidarity with the liberation struggle of Syrian people against the Assad regime and its imperialist masters! All foreign powers – out of Syria!
* No to pro-Western as well as pro-Eastern social-chauvinism! For international solidarity and joint cross-border struggle in defense of the interests of workers and oppressed! For the creation of a Revolutionary World Party!
Revolutionary Communist International Tendency (Zambia, Kenya, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Yemen, Tunisia, Israel / Occupied Palestine, Brazil, Mexico, Aotearoa/New Zealand, Britain, Germany, and Austria), www.thecommunists.net
Marxist Group ‘Class Politics’ (Russia), https://mgkp.github.io/
We refer readers also to other joint statement which we issued recently:
Global Trade War: No to Great Power Jingoism in West and East! Neither Imperialist Globalization nor Imperialist Protectionism! For International Solidarity and Joint Struggle of the Working Class and Oppressed People! Joint Statement of the Revolutionary Communist International Tendency (RCIT), Marxist Group ‘Class Politics’ (Russia), Alkebulan School of Black Studies (Kenya), Pan-Afrikan Consciousness Renaissance (Nigeria), Courant des Jeunes Penseurs Congolais (Democratic Republic of Congo), and Sınıf Savaşı (Turkey), 4 July 2018, https://www.thecommunists.net/rcit/joint-statement-on-the-looming-global-trade-war/
Warmongering in the Middle East: Down with all Imperialist Great Powers and Capitalist Dictatorships! Joint Statement of the Revolutionary Communist International Tendency (RCIT), Alkebulan School of Black Studies (Kenya), Pacesetters Movement (Nigeria), Pan-Afrikan Consciousness Renaissance (Nigeria), Marxist Group ‘Class Politics’ (Russia), and Sınıf Savaşı (Turkey), 13 May 2018, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/africa-and-middle-east/joint-statement-warmongering-in-the-middle-east/
Down with Imperialist Warmongering of All Great Powers! Syria attack, Protectionist Tariffs and Salisbury poisoning: Against all imperialist diplomatic, economic and military aggression! In U.S., EU, Russia and China: The Main Enemy is at Home! Support democratic and national liberation struggles of oppressed people! Joint Statement of the Revolutionary Communist International Tendency (RCIT) and the Marxist Group ‘Class Politics’ (Russia), 13.04.2018, https://www.thecommunists.net/worldwide/africa-and-middle-east/syria-down-with-imperialist-warmongering-of-all-great-powers/