Ambassadors of 21 European countries have just written a joint editorial in which they expressed disappointment with Vietnam’s abstention at the United Nations, calling on Hanoi to “stand with Ukraine” and use its influence over Russia to influence Moscow.
Russia’s invasion, which Moscow calls a “special military operation,” has entered its third week as the West ramps up sanctions pressure on Russia and seeks to isolate Moscow on the international stage.
Although 141 votes in favor out of 193 countries voted to condemn Russia’s invasion at the United Nations General Assembly on March 2, Vietnam was one of 35 countries that abstained.
The Soviet Union was disintegrated a long time ago
The European ambassadors pointed to this overwhelming number of votes to show the “level of global consensus” in condemning Russia, but also pointed out that “only two ASEAN countries abstained, including Vietnam.”
“The United Nations has spoken out together out of respect for the values and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations,” said an editorial published on the website of the European Union delegation in Hanoi on March 8. positive.
On the one hand, European countries expressed sympathy for Vietnam’s decision based on its history and relationship with Russia. On the other hand, the editorial argued that the stance of not condemning the Russian invasion is “harmful” to Vietnam.
“We understand the important historical relationship that Vietnam had with the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union helped Vietnam in times of need while other countries did not,” acknowledged the European ambassadors, but also reminded Hanoi that “the Soviet Union was disintegrated a long time ago while we are in a new era.”
The editorial acknowledged that Vietnam has its own interests and views that differ from Europe’s as “natural,” but also reminded Hanoi to consider the benefits if international law is broken for a big country to bully and invade neighboring countries in order to redraw the map, implying that it seems to compare the current Russia-Ukraine situation with the sensitive relationship between Vietnam and China.
“Does Vietnam benefit when the world is ruled by that logic rather than by international law and resolving disputes peacefully?” argumentative article.
“Strong Voice for Russia”
The European ambassadors linked the current war in Ukraine with Vietnam’s painful war history to believe that Vietnam would understand the situation of the Ukrainian people as well as the value of protecting its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
“And it is because of the bitter memories of war and because we all value true peace that we should all stand with the people of Ukraine and the vast majority of the international community’s call for an end to this senseless conflict,” the editorial appealed to Hanoi.
The editorial mentioned Hanoi’s influence on Russia because “Vietnam is a beautiful country that Russian tourists love to visit, and Vietnam also has a deep relationship with the Russian Federation.” “We know that Vietnam has a strong voice with Russia,” the ambassadors affirmed.
From there, the ambassadors of European countries called on Vietnam to use its influence to aim for “a positive outcome for both Russia and Ukraine” – an outcome that, according to the European side, is Russia’s “de-escalation. and military withdrawal from Ukraine.”
In addition to 21 ambassadors of European countries in Hanoi, including Ireland, Great Britain, Austria, Poland, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Hungary, Greece, Norway, France, Finland, Romania, Czech, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Italy, the editorial also has the European Union ambassador under the joint name.
“Choose a clear side”
From Ho Chi Minh City, Nguyen Tien Trung, a former political prisoner, told VOA that this joint letter shows that Europe sees Hanoi’s important position to Moscow, so Europe wants Hanoi to “have an impact on Russian President Vladimir Putin.”
Trung expressed his hope that Hanoi would listen to European ambassadors to “choose a clear side” to side with Ukraine because it was a “moral choice as well as a choice for the national interest.”
“There must be a clear stance here, not ambiguity,” Trung said, referring to Vietnam’s abstention. “We have to protect the weak, protect the right, then the world can protect us later.”
He said that the people of Vietnam when he saw Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, he thought of the situation that Vietnam is similar to Ukraine in that it is next to a big country that has been invading Vietnam for thousands of years.
“The reason Mr. Putin justifies the invasion of Ukraine is that the Russian people and the Ukrainian people are the same – that is Great Russism is very similar to China’s Great Hanism,” he analyzed and said that he sided with Ukraine as Europe’s call is to “serve Vietnam’s core interests.”
“Regarding the interests of the Vietnamese nation and nation, the issue of sovereignty is seriously threatened, so I think the international order must ensure that there are no big fish eating small fish, no big countries invading small countries is an extremely important period for Vietnam,” said Trung.
He concurs with the argument of European countries that Hanoi should not resort to traditional relations with the former Soviet Union to justify its current position.
“The Soviet Union and Russia are two different entities. Ukraine also belonged to the Soviet Union,” he said. “Traditional relationships cannot be used to trample morality and law.”
He said that Vietnam “can totally accept the damage” if relations with Russia deteriorate, but Hanoi “can make up for it with trade, diplomatic and defense relations with other countries“.
“Europe itself has also suffered enormous damage to ensure the upholding of international law and order,” he pointed out.
Mediator?
Like Nguyen Tien Trung, Nguyen Quang A, a dissident from Hanoi, told VOA that Hanoi’s support for Ukraine and Europe would be “in line with morality and national interests in the long run.”
“Vietnam should have strongly opposed (Russia’s invasion) along with the international community. Short-term calculations are also somewhat, but in the long run, it is not good for Vietnam,” said Mr. A.
He said that the joint editorial of the European ambassadors “though very well-argued” would “not change Vietnam’s position” but if Hanoi was under pressure to speak out against Russia also not good.
“Vietnam itself must see from the bottom of its heart the injustice, see the international violation without condemning it, then that is worrisome,” he analyzed.
However, instead of taking a sharp turn to condemn Russia, he suggested that Vietnamese leaders, such as President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, could talk directly with Putin to act as a mediator during the Ukraine crisis.
According to him, if Vietnam stands with Ukraine as the call of European countries, Vietnam “will certainly have bad consequences in relations with Russia, mainly in oil and gas and weapons“. But if not sided with Europe and the West, “the price Hanoi has to pay is much more expensive.”
“Economically, Vietnam does business with Western countries mainly,” Mr. A pointed out.
He said he agreed with the editorial that Vietnam did not resort to “deep affections” to handle the current issue in relations with Russia.
“Anyone’s help in Vietnam must be acknowledged, but that is a thing of the past. But the person who helped me now is wrong, shouldn’t I say,” he questioned and said that the Soviet Union helped Vietnam before “also for the sake of the Soviet Union itself.”
“Deep affection for the Chinese Communist Party, how is China still encroaching on Vietnam? Russia and Putin now support China on the South China Sea issue,” he argued.
Translated by Thoibao.de from the original source: https://www.voatiengviet.com/a/ch%C3%A2u-%C3%A2u-k%C3%AAu-g%E1%BB%8Di-vi%E1%BB%87t-nam-quay-l%C6%B0ng-v%E1%BB%9Bi-nga-v%C3%A0-s%C3%A1t-c%C3%A1nh-c%C3%B9ng-ukraine/6479519.html
