Indonesia’s peace plan highlights global division over Ukraine conflict

An Indonesian defense minister’s peace plan for Ukraine has drawn sharp criticism from Western security officials but praise from China, highlighting deep divisions between the West and the global South over Russia’s invasion of its neighbor.

In a speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue, an annual defense conference in Singapore, Prabhao Sabianto proposed a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, followed by the creation of a demilitarized zone between the current front, a UN mission and “disputed areas”. Referendum in .

Prabowo’s pitch, a former special forces commander who is a leading candidate for Indonesia’s presidential election next year, comes as the US and Europe struggle to persuade many developing countries to criticize Russia’s attack on Ukraine. Is.

Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov scoffed at the proposal. “I’ll try to be polite,” he said on a separate panel at the conference. “It sounds like a Russian plan.” He added that “we don’t need these meddlers suggesting such a strange plan” before Russia is forced out of Ukraine.

EU High Representative for Foreign Policy Josep Borrell spoke directly after the Indonesian defense chief, saying there should be “just peace”, not “a peace of surrender”.

Although Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest economy, has officially condemned Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, Prabowo’s comments underscore growing ambivalence by countries outside the West toward the conflict.

Prabovo said, “In Asia we have had our share of conflict and war, perhaps more devastating, far more bloody than what has been experienced in Ukraine.”

“Ask Vietnam, ask Cambodia, ask Indonesians how many times have we been attacked.” Emphasizing that he did not equate “the aggressor and the invaded”, he said that some reactions to the war were “very emotional”.

African and Latin American countries have increasingly opposed the conversion of the conflict to a global rather than a European war.

Many nations in Southeast Asia abstained or even voted against drafting resolutions in support of Kiev at the United Nations. Other developing countries have been reluctant to impose sanctions against Russia.

Brazil’s top foreign policy adviser criticized the West’s tough stance against Moscow, telling the Financial Times that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s security concerns had to be “taken into account” by Western powers.

In May, a diplomatic row erupted between South Africa and the US after Washington’s ambassador alleged that weapons had been loaded onto a ship docked in Cape Town that was bound for Russia.

Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Olongren stressed that in this conflict, “neutrality is not an option. All countries here expect that their sovereignty will be respected.” But Ukraine’s sovereignty is not being respected.

Representatives of China, whose mediation efforts were greeted with deep skepticism in the West, praised Prabowo’s plan and rebuked Europe for criticizing it.

“I greatly appreciate the efforts of our friends in the region such as Indonesia and South Africa,” said Cui Tiankai, China’s former ambassador to the US.

“With all due respect to our Euro-Atlantic friends: I do not think you are effectively managing your security situation. Perhaps mismanagement is a better word.