Countries neutral to war in Ukraine are complicit with russia – Macron

Countries that don't support Ukraine in the war against the russian federation are "accomplices" of the new russian imperialism.

French President Emmanuel Macron stated this at the session of the UN General Assembly, EP reports, citing Politico.

"Those who are silent today are serving—against their will or secretly with some complicity—the cause of the new imperialism," Macron emphasized.

The French president said russia's aggression against Ukraine marked a "return to the era of imperialism and colonies" and that the world faced a choice between "war and peace."

While Western allies such as France have shown a united front against russia following its invasion of Ukraine, the response in Africa and Asia has been more subdued.

Some countries don't want to condemn russia too strongly. This trend was reflected in the April UN vote, when 58 countries, including India, Brazil, South Africa, and Indonesia, abstained from voting on a resolution to expel russia from the UN Human Rights Council.

The French president acknowledged the "sense of injustice" felt by countries affected by the war's effects on food, energy, and economies. But he also strongly warned those who want to remain "neutral."

"Today, I want to say clearly: those who want to imitate the non-alignment effort, refusing to express themselves clearly, are making a mistake and will bear historical responsibility," he said.

The French president was referring to the non-aligned movement during the Cold War.

Macron also announced in his speech that France would finance the transportation of Ukrainian wheat to Somalia in partnership with the UN World Food Program.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned russia's intentions to annex the occupied territories of Ukraine through pseudo-referendums.

He emphasized that this step and intentions to mobilize even more significant reserves are a flagrant display of contempt for the principles of the United Nations.

In his speech at the UN General Assembly, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said that accepting the end of the war on the terms of the Kremlin is impossible.

Read Rubryka's timeline of war: current news on Ukraine's defense against russia's aggression.