Sometimes it seems that Russia is completely alone in the war against Ukraine, but is this image correct? In fact, there are only a few countries that directly support Russia, but there are also many countries that prefer not to take sides. Who holds back and why do they do it?
After Russia invaded Ukraine, a dominant global coalition emerged. 141 countries supported the UN decision on unconditional withdrawal from Russia. Russia seemed isolated, with only North Korea, Belarus, Eritrea and Syria on Russia’s side.
But the West never convinced the whole world. In the first UN vote, 47 countries, including India and China, abstained. In fact, many of these “neutral” countries have since provided vital economic or diplomatic support to Russia. In addition, there are countries that initially condemned Russia, but now perceive the war as someone else’s problem. These countries, including Brazil and Turkey, have taken a more neutral stance.
Instead of a world consisting of two blocks, we have a fragmented globe. The grand center sees the Russian invasion primarily as a European and American problem. For many, this is not a global threat, they are more focused on protecting their own interests. Most world leaders disapprove of invading another country, but some seem happy that someone is standing up to the United States.
Latin America can be cited as an example. Latin America mostly voted with the US to condemn Russia. But in recent months, more and more cracks are appearing. Recently, Colombia refused the US to supply arms to Ukraine. And when German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Brazil, President Luiz Ignacio Lula da Silva refused to express support for Ukraine.
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On the other hand, 30 NATO member states confirmed their support for Ukraine. “We, as allies, reaffirm our solidarity with the government and people of Ukraine in the heroic defense of their nation,” the North Atlantic Council, the main political governing body of the treaty body, said in a statement.
The responsibility for the war, which is a “gross violation of international law and the UN Charter,” rests entirely with Russia. But the statement also condemns “anyone, including Belarus, who actively promotes Russia’s war.”
“Russia must immediately stop this war and withdraw all its armed forces from Ukraine,” the statement said. “Russian war crimes and other atrocities must not go unpunished.” Sweden and Finland, which are currently seeking NATO membership, also joined the statement.
At first, Western economic sanctions seemed to deter a Russian invasion. 37 countries have shaken the financial system of Russia, blocking many assets. The sanctions blocked important imports such as aircraft parts and semiconductors for electronics. Hundreds of companies have also voluntarily ceased operations in Russia, leaving ordinary Russians without Apple stores or Netflix subscriptions.
But the sanctions were not as devastating as the West had hoped. Several countries, notably China, have closed the gap by significantly increasing exports to Russia.
About 40 countries have provided military support to Ukraine, and that has helped, but the effort to deprive Russia of military equipment has been less successful. Russia also found help here. North Korea has sent a “significant number” of artillery shells to Russia, the United States has said. Iran supplied Russia with unmanned kamikaze drones, which Moscow used to attack civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. And other countries, including China, continued to supply Russia with goods such as microchips, which are then embedded in military equipment.
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Source : HLN