New Delhi: The Russia-Ukraine conflict will set a “risky” precedent even for the Indo-Pacific countries in terms of violation of international law and aggression towards a peaceful neighbour, according to Ugo Astuto, Ambassador of the European Union to India.
In an exclusive interview to ThePrint, the EU envoy said the “future of Indo-Pacific must be grounded on respect for international law” and thus the crisis should not be seen only as a European issue.
“What we will have as an impact on the Indo-Pacific is an aggression which goes unchecked. The risk here is that we have a precedent of violation of international law and aggression of the peaceful neighbour, which goes unanswered. It’s a very risky precedent for the whole of the international community and for the world across the board irrespective of the geographical location,” Astuto said.
“What we see now is an unprecedented, unjustified, unprovoked aggression from Russia to Ukraine… It’s a clear violation of international law, it’s a violation of the UN Charter, not to mention the agreements President (Vladimir) Putin himself had signed very recently, the Minsk agreements. So what we need now is for Russia to cease violence and to withdraw unconditionally,” the EU envoy stressed.
He also said that Russia has “simply ripped to pieces these agreements together with UN charter and international legalities while it is shelling civilians and forcing hundreds and thousands of people, women and children to flee towards the borders”.
The comments came over a week after Russia invaded Ukraine in a war that is threatening global security and has resulted in the isolation of the Russian economy amid sanctions by the US-led Western bloc.
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‘Sanctions already biting Russia’
The EU envoy said the range of “unprecedented” level of economic sanctions imposed on Russia will make it difficult for Moscow to “fund the war”, adding that the only way this war can stop is if Russia resorts to “unconditional withdrawal of troops”.
“The sanctions are meant to make it difficult for Russia to continue funding of this operation and to isolate Russia politically. And I think they are very effective. This is a significant package of sanctions, which is unprecedented with several dimensions of engagement,” Astuto said.
“We have the shutting down of US airspace to Russian planes, we have Russian banks excluded from the SWIFT system, we have sanctions targeting key sectors of the Russian economy. We are also targeting the possibility for the Reserve Bank to use the foreign currency reserves, we are banning the sale of aircraft, spare parts and equipment and we are limiting access from Russia to crucial technology,” he added.
“This is a moment of extreme gravity which has been matched by equally severe reactions from the EU and partners and allies from all around the world… I think the sanctions are biting already, the effect is also visible,” he underlined.
“It has been visible for the past few days and we are ready to implement more, if needed, depending on what happens on the ground,” Astuto added.
Asked about the impact of sanctions on European nations as Russia is a major source of the continent’s energy and mineral requirements, Astuto said: “We are ready to face all consequences. We have been diversifying our sources for some time already. We are in talks with a number of players about the supplies of LNG… We have strategic reserves that allow us to face contingencies.”
According to him, European economies are ready to face any possible effect “because we know that what is at stake is not just relevant for Ukraine or for Europe. It’s relevant for the international community and its future”.
“The question is do we want a future where might is right, where brute military force decides the destiny of countries and peoples? Or, do we want to support and sustain the systems of governance which have allowed Europe to prosper. I think the question is clear and so is the answer,” he said.
“So we will do all that is needed in terms of sanctioning Russia, in terms of politically isolating Russia and in terms of supporting Ukraine for these aggression to go unanswered,” he added.
On the issue of the Indian stance, which has pushed for ‘dialogue and diplomacy’, the envoy said: “We have regular and intensive exchanges with our Indian friends. India is a like-minded country, a friend and a partner, so we have been presenting our views to India and we have been exchanging our perspectives.”
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‘Ukraine is already part of European family’
On the issue of the EU granting immediate membership to Ukraine, which President Volodymyr Zelensky had been pushing for, Astuto said this is an emergency situation.
“We are focussing on a package of financial support, several member states have also decided to supply weapons and so has the European Union in a first, that has not happened before,” Astuto said.
“Ukraine is close to the heart of all Europeans today, our cooperation will only intensify in the coming weeks and months. Ukraine is already part of the European family. The membership of the EU will be part of the conversation that we need to undertake when hopefully the situation will return to normal,” he said.
Russian act ‘unprovoked, unjustified’
Astuto said the ‘special military operation’ that was announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin on 24 February is an act of “unprovoked, unjustified action against a peaceful neighbour”.
“The facts of the case are very clear. We have an aggression from Russia, unprovoked, unjustified against a peaceful neighbour. We have indiscriminate shelling of urban centres and we have civilian casualties — many, including the Indian student in Kharkiv,” he said, referring to the killing of a 21-year-old Indian medical student in Kharkiv.
“We have hundreds and thousands of civilians fleeing the violence towards the border with the neighbouring EU member states. These are facts on the ground and I think it’s difficult to dispute these facts,” Astuto said.
According to him, the EU made an “honest endeavour” to talk to Russia before Putin declared war on Ukraine. “We are always ready to talk but it’s difficult to trust President Putin after what has happened. EU is always ready for diplomatic solutions,” he said.
On the future of this war, the EU envoy said: “It’s difficult to speculate (when the war will end)… This is a war which has been caused by one single player and actually by the decision of President Putin. What is needed is unconditional withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukrainian soil and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of a free country.”
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