Another anti-Ukraine war protest is expected today in Germany outside of Ramstein Air Base – Photo: REUTERS/Ardavan Safari

An anti-Ukraine war rally is expected to take place in Germany today.

The rally is expected to occur outside NATO’s Ramstein Air Base, under the slogan “Stop the export of NATO weapons to Ukraine to prevent the Third World War”. While the protest is organized by pacifist organizations, there have been suspicions that they have been influenced by Russia in an effort to sow discontent over military aid being provided to Ukraine.

This protest has been accompanied by several others this month, occurring in Portugal, the UK, and the US, as well as a protest occurring in Berlin last week. However, the reasons for these protests have varied. While many echo the Ramstein protest’s fears of a full-scale world war and express concern over nuclear fallout, others take a more general pacifist stance, accusing countries—particularly the US—of excess military expenditure.

Protests of this nature are likely to continue, especially as Moscow’s recent suspension of an arms control agreement further heightens nuclear fears. While there is the possibility that Russian influence is behind at least some of these protests, their fragmented nature means that they are unlikely to have a significant effect on public opinion.