Macron calls Russia’s invasion of Ukraine ‘return to imperialism’ at the UNGA
Anjali Sharma
GG News Bureau
UNITED NATIONS, 23rd Sept. French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday called Russia’s invasion of Ukraine a return to “imperialism” and said that those who remained silent or were “secretly complicit” were engaged in a “new cynicism” that was eroding the global order.
Macron delivered his remarks at the 77th UN session of the General Assembly said: “Today we need to make a simple choice – war or peace.”
He recalled that “Russia, a permanent member of the Security Council, through an act of aggression and invasion and annexation, broke our collective security when it deliberately violated the UN Charter and the principle of sovereign equality of states.”
Macron said the International Court Of Justice had declared Russia’s aggression illegal and called for the withdrawal of its troops, even as Russia continued its aggression, possibly paving the way for “for other wars of annexation in Europe, today and perhaps tomorrow in Asia, or Africa or Latin America.”
He said that “The longer this war goes on, the more it threatens Europe and the world. It could lead to greater conflict where security and sovereignty no longer depend on the strength of alliances, but on the strength of armed groups and subjugation of others.”
President Macron added “What we have seen is a return to the age of imperialism. France rejects this and will steadfastly search for peace.”
He said the war “is undermining the principle of our Organization, is undermining the only possible world order, is undermining peace.”
Macron told the world leaders that he would continue to engage in dialogue with Moscow, “because it is only by working together that we can find peace.,” including, among others, “the humanitarian, military and political support that we are providing to the people of Ukraine so they can enjoy their legitimate right to defense and preserve their sovereignty.”
He stressed that he rejected the stance of those nations that said they remained “neutral”, declaring: “They are wrong. tTey are making a historic error.”
Macron stated: “Those who are keeping silent today are, in a way, complicit with the cause of a new imperialism…. that is trampling the current order.”
He added that it is not a matter of choosing between East and West, or north and south, “because over and beyond war, there’s a risk of dividing the world.”
Macron called on the members of the General Assembly and the Security Council to stand up for “our most precious common good – peace.”
He called on the members of the Security Council “to act so that Russia rejects the path of war and assesses the cost for itself and for all of us and, really, bring an end to this act of aggression.”
Macron stressed that with climate change, ecosystems “reaching the point of no return”, food shortages and price spikes, looming famine, and terrorism, among other ills, “it is always the most vulnerable people that are the most impacted.
“These are all things that we need to address urgently. Many of these problems are caused by divisions between us and therefore our shared responsibility must be to help the most vulnerable to cope with these challenges,” he concluded.
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