The United Nations Security Council has just voted on a resolution condemning Russia for its war of aggression against Ukraine. The only vote against was Russia, despite an unwritten rule that nations should not vote on matters concerning themselves.
YES
United States
United Kingdom
France
Norway
Ireland
Albania
Gabon
Mexico
Brazil
Ghana
Kenya
NO
Russia (veto)
ABSTAIN
China
India
United Arab Emirates
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This is a stunning, essentially unanimous rebuke over Russia’s actions. Let me explain.
India is a long-time Russian ally. Indeed, Russia was confident it had India’s “yes” vote as recently as earlier today.
Russia's Charge d'affaires Roman Babushkin said India has a deep understanding of the reasons that led to the current situation in Ukraine and Moscow is looking for continued support from New Delhi in sync with the special and privileged strategic partnership between the two countries [...]
"We highly appreciate India's deep understanding of the current situation as well as the reasons that led to it. We expect India to support Russia at the UN Security Council," Babushkin told PTI.
India, which has expressed zero interest in joining the international sanctions regime, is a stunning abstention. Russia must be shocked.
Then there’s China. Just recently, prior to the Olympics, Russia dictator Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, agreed to an “unprecedented” strategic alliance with “no limits.” The agreement affirmed Russia’s support for China’s Taiwan policy (unification at all cost, even if by force), while China agreed to oppose “the further expansion of NATO” and criticized the Western alliance as a “Cold War era” approach.
Given that Putin pretended to use NATO as an excuse for his invasion, China’s refusal to back their new ally is a stunning rebuke. It’s so particularly since China didn’t just brush aside US State Department efforts to help prevent an invasion, but literally went and tattled on Russia.
Over three months, senior Biden administration officials held half a dozen urgent meetings with top Chinese officials in which the Americans presented intelligence showing Russia’s troop buildup around Ukraine and beseeched the Chinese to tell Russia not to invade, according to U.S. officials.
Each time, the Chinese officials, including the foreign minister and the ambassador to the United States, rebuffed the Americans, saying they did not think an invasion was in the works. After one diplomatic exchange in December, U.S. officials got intelligence showing Beijing had shared the information with Moscow, telling the Russians that the United States was trying to sow discord — and that China would not try to impede Russian plans and actions, the officials said.
Perhaps an abstention qualifies as “not impeding Russian plans and actions,” but only in the most charitable interpretation. Russia signed a treaty alliance with China, and China looked nervously away at its very public opportunity to offer support.
But you know which country is the most surprising? Brazil. I mean, this was news this morning:
Brazil's Bolsonaro disauthorizes vice president who condemned Russian invasion of Ukraine
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro disauthorized his Vice President Hamilton Mourao on Thursday for saying that Brazil opposed the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Mourao earlier on Thursday condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine. His comments went well beyond a statement by Brazil's Foreign Ministry expressing concern about Russia's military operations and urging a diplomatic solution.
Bolsonaro, of course, is a far-right demagogue in the mold of Donald Trump. The two were famously friendly with each other, and Brazil is dealing with its own brewing constitutional crisis, with fears that Bolsonaro will refuse to accept the results of presidential elections October 2 of this year. He’s already screaming about rigged elections and fake news.
The fact that he lost his shit over his Vice President condemning Russia suggested that he was busy working on his Putin relationship. Just 11 days ago:
But Russia and President Vladimir Putin, on the cusp of what could be a mass-casualty event, are nonetheless reaching out to make new friends — in much of Latin America, but in particular Brazil.
In a remarkable diplomatic display Wednesday, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who resisted domestic appeals as well as pressure from U.S. officials to cancel his visit to Moscow, sat knee to knee with Putin and declared that Brazil was in “solidarity” with Russia. Putin then named Brazil as Russia’s most important partner in Latin America.
After all that, Brazil shows up to vote, and doesn’t even abstain. They flat out vote YES!
Russia must be reeling. All their friends on the council have either outright abandoned it, or abstained. Zero support. Indeed, outside of Belarus—effectively annexed by Russia—the world has turned on Moscow.
Apparently, Putin will have to content himself with Donald Trump’s undying support. And Tucker Carlson. But even that is waning.
