![]() ![]() You are producing arms, so we won't sell you the electronics that you need to do that. We say: "You are attacking Ukraine, so we don't want to buy your oil and gas because with that money you pay for the war. We restrict some actions, like buying Russian gas and selling Russia the electronics it needs to produce arms. The phrase used is "restrictive measures". Q: Are the sanctions against Russia working?Ī: Actually, the word "sanctions" does not exist in any European treaties. Yes, but we must keep things in perspective. I can understand people saying that we haven't treated equally Ukrainian refugees and refugees from sub-Saharan Africa. Third, who is the biggest aid donor to developing countries? Who has been the biggest exporter and donor of vaccines? Europe. We have continued providing the same level of support for other countries. Second, not a single euro of our resources that support other countries has been diverted to Ukraine. The developed world promised US$100 billion (S$135 billion) to countries to help fight climate change. Q: How do you respond to the view that while rich countries are readily willing to fund Ukraine in the war and to provide generous support for their own people in the pandemic, they claim they don't have enough money to support debt relief, climate finance or even pandemic support for developing countries?Ī: Perception is one thing, but let us look at the facts. Because people perceive that they are being threatened, and the best guarantee against this threat is to become members of Nato. For example, Sweden and Finland have been neutral for years, but now, suddenly, they want to join NATO. And it is not NATO that is trying to expand: it is that countries want to enter NATO. There were no NATO troops in Ukraine and no negotiations for Ukraine to become a member of NATO. I understand these considerations, but one thing is clear: there was no reason for Russia to attack Ukraine. In Latin America, there are still strong anti-imperialist sentiments and there is a feeling that things are not black and white - that NATO expansion was part of the problem. Some countries also feel that since Russia supported them during their fight for independence or against apartheid, they cannot go against it. For example, in Africa, there is a feeling of anti-colonialism. And they show some reluctance in making the distinction between the aggressor and the victim. Some countries condemn Russia, but they don't follow up with sanctions. But what is true, and the question that I ask myself, is why the indignation that we feel in Europe against this invasion is not shared in the same way by several countries. So, some, but not many, have not condemned the invasion. That's an important share of the world community. Is this a problem? How do you explain it?Ī: Altogether 146 countries have condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine. A lot of the Global South has not even condemned Russia's invasion. Q: Most countries in the world do not participate in the sanctions on Russia. So, yes, of course we want peace, but unhappily, we have to face a situation where the war will continue. I understand at the moment, it's not very propitious for that because Russia wants to continue attacking Ukraine. Peace means to recognise the right of Ukraine to exist, to respect international borders, to arrange for war reparations and accountability from Russia. I stop supporting Ukraine, stop sending arms to Ukraine and the war will stop because Ukraine will have to surrender. If I want to stop the war, I know how to do it very quickly, in one week. ![]() ![]() But what does peace mean? Peace is something more than "not war". And the ones who want peace the most are the Ukrainians. Q: Short of an unconditional Russian withdrawal or a Ukrainian military victory, does the European Union have a peace plan for Ukraine that would be acceptable to both sides?Ī: Look, everybody wants peace. ![]()
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