Russia's deadly invasion of Ukraine is an attempt to re-establish Russia as the dominant power in Eastern Europe. Putin is an authoritarian dictator willing to lay waste to thousands of lives for the sake of this objective.

In response to the Russian invasion, Australian, US and other Western politicians claim that they are standing up for Ukrainian democracy and self-determination. This is a self-serving lie.

The Western powers have shown themselves more than willing to invade sovereign countries when it is in their imperialist interests, and their opposition to this war is based on the desire to expand Western domination of the region. The people of Ukraine have long been caught in the crosshairs of a rivalry between two capitalist, imperialist blocs.

This session will offer an explanation of the dynamics of this war and of how it fits into the broader clash of imperialist interests. It will also put forward a socialist response to the war that is based on standing with the Ukrainian people and the international working class, the only two forces that can challenge this brutal war and the bloodthirsty system of capitalism.