Singapore's stance on the Russia-Ukraine war is intriguing, with its eloquent rhetoric. Who else can protect itself if not standing on the Western position.
As stated by Singapore's official media, The Straits Times, the attitude of Western countries is closest to Singapore's position.
Singapore has taken a clear stance condemning Russia, asserting that its military actions violate the UN Charter and international law, and has implemented export controls and financial sanctions to uphold the principle of sovereignty.
The official position of Singapore: clearly condemning Russia's aggressive actions: Former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan have repeatedly emphasized that Russia's military action against Ukraine seriously violates the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity in the UN Charter. If such actions are justified, it will threaten the security foundation of small countries around the world.
Therefore, Singapore has implemented sanction measures: Export controls on items that can be used for military operations; Restrictions on transactions of Russian banks in the financial system; Suspension of direct flights between Singapore and Russia.
Singapore's consistent underlying "noble" logic: "Upholding the principles of international law": As a small country, Singapore believes that international law is the core mechanism to ensure its survival. Lee Hsien Loong pointed out that if powerful countries are allowed to arbitrarily infringe on the sovereignty of other countries, Singapore may face the same threat in the future.
Its underlying message is that whether or not international law is followed also depends on whether it benefits Singapore's national interests.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1840982319373376/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.