Zelenskyy wants Asian countries to ‘change their attitude’ towards Ukraine

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday said he wanted the Asian counties to “change their attitude” towards his country, as Europe did following the Russian invasion.

Zelenskyy told a press conference that some NATO members underestimated Ukraine which forced the alliance to not accept it as a member, calling it a “gross mistake”.

He further stated that Ukraine’s strength against Russia’s offensive “managed to change the attitude of the alliance and the European member states”.

“I want very much want the Asian countries to change their attitude to Ukraine as well,” Zelenskyy was quoted as saying by The Hill.

India along with several Asian countries have abstained on multiple Ukraine-related resolutions at the United Nations in the last few weeks.

Earlier in April, the UN General Assembly voted to suspend Russia’s membership in the UN Human Rights Council. While 93 members voted in favour, 24 voted against and 58 abstained. Asian countries to abstain from the UN vote include India, Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Iraq, Kuwait, Malaysia, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Omran, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, Singapore, and Thailand.

Zelenskyy also singled out nations that are closer to Russia due to their past ties to the erstwhile Soviet Union.

“Therefore, after the fall of the Soviet Union they historically were close to, the Russian Federation was the successor of the Soviet Union and the biggest country as part of former the Soviet Union, that’s why their relations remain strong with Russia,” he said.

Zelenskyy’s made the remarks when the US and other Western allies are attempting to coax India away from Russia and join them in condemning its close defence partner. India has repeatedly called for a cessation of violence but refrained from joining any West-led sanctions against Russia.

During a recent 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue between India and the US, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that New Delhi’s relationship with Moscow developed over decades when the US was not able to be a partner of the South Asian country.

He, however, added that “times have changed” and the US is now “able and willing to be a partner of choice with India across virtually every realm: commerce, technology, education and security.”