French President Emmanuel Macron said during his address at the United Nations General Assembly’s (UNGA) 77th Session on Tuesday that Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi was correct in telling Russian President Vladimir Putin last week that the “time is not for war.”
Macron said the world should instead focus on resolving various other issues concerning the global order via “new forms of cooperation.” He cited the example of the climate crisis, floods in Pakistan, the historic drought in the Horn of Africa, and the threat of famine in Somalia, Yemen, South Sudan, and Afghanistan. Further, Macron also raised concern about the rise in terrorism in the Sahel and the Middle East and nuclear proliferation in Iran and North Korea.
To this end, he said that several countries are trying to promote “regional tensions” and “nuclear development” to the detriment of “collective security.” He thus urged the international community to ensure that such divisions do not materialise.
Macron’s statement comes after Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi last Friday held his in-person meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin since the Ukraine war began. Crucially, it also marked the first time India appeared to signal discontent with Russia’s actions, with Modi urging Putin to turn to the path of “democracy, diplomacy, and dialogue.” India had until then merely called for both sides to respect international law as well as each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, without specifically mentioning Russia.
On this occasion, however, Putin himself acknowledged that India has “constantly expressed” concerns about the war, with Modi lamenting the impact of the war on global food and energy security.
French President echoing PM @narendramodi Ji’s words at UNGA is a reflection of how India’s assertive geopolitical approach & emphasis on global peace has put our Nation at the forefront in the rising world order. https://t.co/P8ipdEeCiQ
— Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) September 21, 2022
United States (US) National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Modi’s comment was “a statement of principle” and “very welcome.” Price lauded the Indian PM’s “commendable” efforts to hold Russia accountable despite what Modi described as an “unbreakable friendship.”
The US official said all countries must either “publicly” or “privately” oppose Russia’s decision to conquer its “neighbour’s territory by force.” He stressed, “Sending that clear and unmistakable message to Moscow at this time is the most vital thing.”
Today's era is not that of war, PM Modi tells Prez Putin during bilateral meet on the sidelines of SCO Samarkand Summit pic.twitter.com/COvQnB4wxH
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) September 16, 2022
Echoing Modi’s comments, Macron asserted that it is not the right time to seek “revenge against the West” or widen East-West divisions. He argued that it is time for sovereign countries to abandon “bloc-thinking” a “build a coalition” to address the world’s challenges, such as food security, biodiversity, and access to education.
That being said, he emphasised that Russia’s decision to invade Ukraine violated the UN charter and the principles of sovereignty and expressed concern that it may pave the way for other such annexations in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
He declared that Russia has pushed the world into an “age of imperialism and colonies” and said countries that remain silent are “serving the cause of a new imperialism, a contemporary cynicism that is destroying the world order.”
Nevertheless, he reiterated the importance of maintaining dialogue with Russia, which he highlighted has been France’s approach since the beginning of the war.
In fact, Macron has been criticised for his frequent communication with Putin, having spoken with him at least 14 times since Russia invaded Ukraine. However, the French leader has repeatedly emphasised that diplomacy must be kept on the table and also warned against isolating Russia. In June, he said, “We must not humiliate Russia so that the day when the fighting stops we can build an exit ramp through diplomatic means.”
In his UNGA speech, Macron suggested that one of the ways to forge a “path to peace” is to reform the UN Security Council by including new permanent members and restricting veto rights when it comes to mass crimes.