Conflicts & War

Ardern slams UN ‘failure’ in Ukraine War response

Sydney, Australia, Jul 7 (EFE).- New Zealand’s prime minister Thursday criticized the United Nation Security Council’s “failure” to respond appropriately to the war in Ukraine due to Russia’s use of its veto to block any resolutions against it.

“We must reform the United Nations so that we don’t have to rely on individual countries imposing their own autonomous sanctions,” Jacinda Ardern said in a speech at the Lowy Institute in Sydney, where she arrived Wednesday on a two-day visit.

Ardern began an official visit Monday to Australia that will conclude at the end of the week.

Russia has vetoed all UN resolutions aimed at sanctioning and criticizing its invasion of Ukraine, which began on Feb. 24 and has led to an intense military confrontation between the two nations.

“Under these circumstances, waiting for our multilateral institutions to act was not an option for New Zealand,” Ardern added, justifying the unilateral sanctions imposed by her and other nations against Russian individuals and entities linked to the invasion.

The country has also provided military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine and backed Kyiv in bringing those responsible for alleged war crimes committed during the conflict to the International Court of Justice.

The New Zealand leader also made a veiled criticism of China – a key ally of Russia – which has been ambiguous in its response to Moscow’s aggression.

Beijing’s military, economic expansion and diplomatic push in the Indo-Pacific region has caused concern among Western powers, including the United States and Australia, as well as small island nations in the region.

“In the wake of the tensions we see rising including in our Indo-Pacific region, diplomacy must become the strongest tool and de-escalation the loudest call. We won’t succeed, however, if those parties we seek to engage with are increasingly isolated and the region we inhabit becomes increasingly divided and polarized,” Ardern stressed.

Ardern is scheduled to meet her Australian counterpart, Anthony Albanese, on Friday. EFE

wat/pd/lds

Related Articles

Back to top button