Lenin speaks in defence of signing the German proposals. He begins by saying that the Soviet power must look the truth in the face, that the Soviet power must state the complete impossibility of resisting the Germans. He points out that the reference of previous speakers, who deny the signing of the treaty, to the fact that we can organise an army in the near future, is completely groundless; the army does not want to fight, and no one can force it, but if we set about organising an army, if we gather a small handful of brave fighters whom we throw into the jaws of imperialism, by doing so we will tear away from ourselves the energetic and ideological fighters who won us freedom.

Further, Lenin says that our Russian proletariat is not at all to blame if the German revolution has arrived late. It will come, but it is not here yet, and for us the best way out is to gain time; if we sign a peace treaty at the present moment, we shall be able later, through energetic organised work, through the construction of railways, through putting the food question in order, to create a strong and solid army for the defence of our revolution, and by that time the socialist revolution in Germany will certainly have ripened.