Do countries friendly to Russia support its Ukraine invasion? What 8 of them have said
Russia’s ongoing attack of neighboring Ukraine has drawn international condemnation from world leaders — even from some of its political allies in Europe such as the leaders of Hungary and the Czech Republic.
“Russia has committed a crime against peace,” Czech President Milos Zeman said in an address, according to the Associated Press. Russian President Vladimir Putin launched the invasion of Ukraine on three fronts early Thursday, Feb. 24, and has attacked its capital Kyiv.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who reportedly remains in the country to fight, called the invasion a “declaration of war against the whole of Europe.”
Although Ukraine isn’t a member of NATO, its 30 member countries, including 28 in Europe and the U.S. and Canada, have expressed full support for Ukraine.
“Russia has shattered peace in Europe,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said during a Feb. 25 news conference, adding that NATO is calling on Russia “to stop this senseless war.”
But what are countries known to be friendly with Russia saying about the invasion?
Belarus
“The world will hold Russia and Belarus accountable for their actions,” Stoltenberg said on Feb. 25. “Russia as the aggressor. Belarus as the enabler.”
Belarus borders both Russia and Ukraine in Eastern Europe and was once a part of the Soviet Union until it established independence in 1991, just like Ukraine, according to Encyclopedia Britannica.
The country has expressed its support for Russia’s invasion of its shared neighbor and some Russian troops have entered Ukraine through Belarus, according to The Associated Press.
Belarus’ leader Alexander Lukashenko has “committed treason,” Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, a Belarusian human rights leader and politician who was a presidential candidate for the country in 2020, said Feb. 26 on Twitter.
Lukashenko had previously left open the possibility of his own country’s troops taking part in the invasion if needed.
“He made our country a participant in the invasion of Ukraine,” Tsikhanouskaya wrote, announcing herself “the national leader of Belarus to protect the sovereignty & independence of (the) country.”
China
China is allied economically with Russia but has stayed silent on issuing support or condemnation for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to the Council on Foreign Relations. However, it’s criticized sanctions that Europe and the U.S. have levied against Russia over the conflict.
“The US has imposed sanctions on Russia for more than 100 times since 2011,” China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said during a Feb. 25 news conference.
“Facts show that sanctions are never the fundamental or effective way to solve problems.”
When asked by AFP if China considers Russia’s actions to be an invasion, Wang said “the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries should be respected and upheld.”
“At the same time, we recognize that the Ukraine issue has a complex and special historical context and understand Russia’s legitimate concerns on security issues.”
Ultimately, Wang said China calls on “all parties to exercise restraint and prevent further escalation of the situation.”
Syria
Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad spoke with Putin over the phone on Feb. 25 and expressed “strong support for Russia’s special military operation,” the Russian Embassy in Sri Lanka wrote Feb. 25 on Twitter.
Al-Assad told Putin that Russia’s invasion is a “correction of history and restoration of balance which was lost in the world after the breakup of the Soviet Union,” according to Al Jazeera.
He also condemned the U.S. and NATO’s stance on the conflict when speaking to Putin, according to the Russian Embassy.
India
India had been historically allied with Russia under the era of the Soviet Union, according to the Associated Press.
Similarly to China, India hasn’t expressed outright support or condemnation of Russia’s invasion.
India’s Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi spoke with Putin over the phone on Feb. 24 regarding Ukraine and “reiterated his long-standing conviction that the differences between Russia and the NATO group can only be resolved through honest and sincere dialogue,” a news release said.
Modi “appealed for an immediate cessation of violence, and called for concerted efforts from all sides to return to the path of diplomatic negotiations and dialogue.”
The prime minister also expressed concern over “the safety of the Indian citizens in Ukraine, especially students.”
Cuba
Cuba has expressed general support for Russia before the invasion began in a Feb. 23 statement and said the U.S. “has been threatening Russia for weeks and manipulating the international community about the dangers of an ‘imminent massive invasion’ of Ukraine.”
The country’s minister of foreign affairs, Bruno Rodríguez, said that Russia “has the right to defend itself.”
He added that the country “advocates a diplomatic solution through constructive and respectful dialogue.”
However, Cuba didn’t directly say it supported Russia’s invasion, as noted by the Miami Herald.
Venezuela
Russian ally Venezuela in South America condemned the actions of the U.S. and NATO, arguing they heightened tensions with their actions without laying blame on Russia, Reuters reported.
“The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela expresses its worry over the worsening of the crisis in Ukraine, and laments the mockery and violation of the Minsk accords on the part of NATO, encouraged by the United States of America,” Venezuela’s foreign ministry said on Feb. 24, according to the outlet.
“The derailment of these (Minsk) accords has violated international law and created strong threats against the Russian Federation, its territorial integrity and sovereignty, as well as impeded good relations between neighboring countries.”
President Joe Biden, however, has adamantly called the Russian invasion “unprovoked and unjustified.”
Iran
Iran’s Foreign Ministry blamed NATO for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24.
“The Ukraine crisis has its roots in NATO’s provocative moves,” the foreign ministry wrote.
“We believe resorting to war is not the solution. The establishment of a ceasefire and focusing on a political and democratic solution is a must,” it added.
Iran and Russia are considered allies, according to the Times of Israel.
Pakistan
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan met with Putin as the Russian invasion of Ukraine ensued, according to the prime minister’s office.
However, their meeting was to discuss a wide range of issues, not particularly Ukraine.
Khan “regretted the latest situation between Russia and Ukraine and said that Pakistan had hoped diplomacy could avert a military conflict,” according to a statement.
“The Prime Minister stressed that conflict was not in anyone’s interest, and that the developing countries were always hit the hardest economically in case of conflict. He underlined Pakistan’s belief that disputes should be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy.”
No other world leaders have physically met with Putin since Russia’s attack on Ukraine, according to Al Jazeera.
This story was originally published February 26, 2022 at 2:05 PM with the headline "Do countries friendly to Russia support its Ukraine invasion? What 8 of them have said."
.jpg)