Ukraine crisis: EU urges Malaysia to back UN vote against Russia amid criticism over Asean statement

Malaysia is among 15 Asian states, including Singapore and Indonesia, that have either spoken or are due to speak in the extraordinary UN General Assembly debate

France’s envoy to Kuala Lumpur noted Malaysia had in 2014 voted to reaffirm Ukraine’s territorial integrity after Russia annexed Crimea, and urged the country to back Kyiv once more

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A protest outside the Russian embassy in Kuala Lumpur. Photo: Reuters

Published: 6:31pm, 1 Mar 2022Updated: 1:14pm, 9 Mar 2022

The European Union has urged Malaysia to support the draft resolution in the United Nations General Assembly condemning Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, saying doing so is in the Southeast Asian nation’s own interests.

The calls, made at a press briefing on Tuesday by the French, German and other EU ambassadors in Kuala Lumpur, came as other Western envoys across Asia have made similar diplomatic overtures in the past few days.

Malaysia is among 15 Asian states, including neighbouring Indonesia, Singapore, Vietnam and Thailand, that have either spoken or are due to speak in the extraordinary General Assembly debate.

People gather for a protest over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine outside the Russian embassy in Kuala Lumpur. Photo: EPA-EFE

The body, where all 193 UN member states are represented, is debating Russia’s aggression after Moscow last week vetoed a Security Council resolution on the matter. A vote is expected to take place on Wednesday.

“We are calling on Malaysia to vote in favour of this resolution,” said Roland Galharague, the French ambassador to Kuala Lumpur. France is the current president of the Council of the EU.

Galharague noted that Kuala Lumpur had voted in support of the UN General Assembly resolution 68/262 in 2014 – which reaffirmed the territorial integrity of Ukraine following Russia’s annexation of the Crimean peninsula that year.

“If Malaysia voted in favour of the resolution in 2014, then it should vote in favour of the resolution this time around,” Galharague said.