Russia's invasion of Ukraine a clear and gross violation of international norms
Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan spoke in Parliament yesterday about the implications of the crisis. Here are edited excerpts of his speech.
The Straits Times, 28 Feb 2022
We are witnessing an unprovoked military invasion of a sovereign state as we speak.
While Ukraine is far away from us, we are following the crisis with grave concern. Its economic effects can already be felt here, for example, in rising electricity and petrol prices. But these are not the principal reason the situation in Ukraine is important to us.
The events in Ukraine go to the heart of the fundamental norms of international law and the UN Charter that prohibit the use of force and acts of aggression against another sovereign state. Russia's invasion of Ukraine is a clear and gross violation of the international norms and a completely unacceptable precedent.
This is an existential issue for us. Ukraine is much smaller than Russia, but it is much bigger than Singapore. A world order based on "might is right", or where "the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must" - such a world order would be profoundly inimical to the security and survival of small states.
We cannot accept one country attacking another without justification, arguing that its independence was the result of "historical errors and crazy decisions". Such a rationale would go against the internationally recognised legitimacy and the territorial integrity of many countries, including Singapore.
That is why we are a staunch supporter of international law and the principles enshrined in the UN Charter. The sovereignty, the political independence and the territorial integrity of all countries, big and small, must be respected. Singapore must take any violation of these core principles seriously, whenever and wherever it occurs. This is why Singapore has strongly condemned Russia's unprovoked attack on Ukraine.
It is heartbreaking to see the heavy casualties and the loss of many innocent lives, resulting from this unjustified attack and act of war. We strongly urge Russia to cease this offensive military action immediately, and to work for a peaceful settlement in accordance with the UN Charter and international law.
Important lessons
There are important lessons for us to draw from this current Ukrainian crisis:
First, while international law and diplomatic principles are essential, they are not sufficient. The Budapest Memorandum was supposed to guarantee Ukraine's security by three nuclear powers - Russia, the US and the UK.
But agreements are meaningful only if the parties respect them, and if they can be enforced. The invasion of Ukraine demonstrates how quickly a vulnerable country can be overrun, especially when confronting a larger and more powerful opponent. This is the acute reality for all small countries, and Singapore is no exception.
Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014, and Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990 are stark reminders of this. You cannot depend on others to protect your country.
Thus, we must never lose the ability to defend and look after ourselves. This is why Singapore has invested consistently to build up a credible and strong SAF (Singapore Armed Forces), and to maintain national service as a fundamental element of our nationhood. The capability of the SAF must be undergirded by Singaporeans' resolve - the iron determination of our people to fight and die, if need be, to defend what is ours and our way of life. Without such capability and resolve, no amount of diplomacy can save a country.
Second, it is all too easy for a small country to be caught up in the geopolitical games of big powers. Small countries must avoid becoming sacrificial pawns, vassal states or "cat's paws" to be used by one side against the other.
In a speech delivered in 1973, former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew shared his agreement with Julius Nyerere, then President of Tanzania, who had said: "When elephants fight, the grass suffers."
This is why we work hard to maintain good relations with all our neighbours and with the big powers. When situations arise, our assessments and our actions are based on clearly enunciated and consistently held principles that are in our own long-term national interests. Instead of choosing sides, we uphold principles.
Consequently, when we conduct our foreign policy in a coherent and consistent manner, we also become reliable partners for those who operate on the same principles. However, there will be occasions when we will have to take a stand even if it is contrary to one or more powers on the basis of principle - as we are doing now.
Third, as a young nation, it is vital for us to maintain domestic unity and cohesion, bearing in mind how easily internal divisions can be exploited by adversaries, especially in this Internet age and the advent of hybrid warfare.
Dividing and weakening an opponent internally, overtly and covertly, has become the standard complement to conventional warfare. Therefore, our domestic politics must stop at our shores.
Fourth, safeguarding one's sovereignty and national interests often requires some sacrifice and pain. The Ukrainians are paying the ultimate price for freedom with their lives and livelihoods. The rest of the international community that is taking a stand against naked aggression through sanctions will also have to bear some pain and pay a price.
Singaporeans too must understand that standing up for our national interests may come with some cost. We must be prepared to deal with the consequences, to bear the pain, to help one another, and to stand up together.
We continue to value our good relations with Russia and the Russian people. However, we cannot accept such violations of sovereignty and territorial integrity of another sovereign state.
We also participate actively at the United Nations. Three days ago, a draft resolution was presented at the UN Security Council to condemn Russia's aggression against Ukraine. Singapore was one of 82 co-sponsors of this Security Council resolution. As expected, Russia, as a permanent member of the Security Council, vetoed that resolution. So the resolution was not passed even though 11 of the 15 Security Council members voted in support and the remaining three members, China, India and the UAE, abstained.
The UN General Assembly will be debating a similar resolution later today. General Assembly resolutions are not subject to veto, but neither are they binding. However, as a responsible member of the international community, Singapore will comply with the spirit and the letter of the UN General Assembly decision.
Singapore has always complied fully with sanctions and decisions of the UN Security Council, but we have rarely acted to impose sanctions on other countries in the absence of binding Security Council decisions or directions.
However, given the unprecedented gravity of the Russian attack on Ukraine, and the unsurprising veto by Russia of a draft Security Council resolution, Singapore intends to act in concert with many other like-minded countries to impose appropriate sanctions and restrictions against Russia.
In particular, we will impose export controls on items that can be used directly as weapons in Ukraine to inflict harm or to subjugate the Ukrainians. We will also block certain Russian banks and financial transactions connected to Russia.
We must expect that our measures will come at some cost and implications on our businesses, citizens and, indeed, to Singapore. However, unless we as a country stand up for principles that are the very foundation for the independence and sovereignty of smaller nations, our own right to exist and prosper as a nation may similarly be called into question one day.
Singapore strongly condemns Russia's invasion of Ukraine: PM Lee Hsien Loong
By Hariz Baharudin, Assistant News Editor, The Straits Times, 28 Feb 2022
Singapore strongly condemns Russia's invasion and affirms that Ukraine's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity must be respected, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
In a Facebook post on Monday (Feb 28), Mr Lee stressed that the situation unfolding in Ukraine is important to Singapore.
"If international relations are based on 'might is right', the world will be a dangerous place for small countries like Singapore. This is why Singapore staunchly supports international law and the United Nations Charter, which prohibits acts of aggression against a sovereign state," said Mr Lee.
Russia invaded neighbouring Ukraine on Feb 24 after months of tensions at the border, with Russian troops massing and conducting military exercises. Its actions have been widely condemned by countries around the world.
Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan had earlier on Monday spoken in Parliament about the situation in Ukraine, and PM Lee noted that eight years ago, then-Foreign Minister K. Shanmugam did the same when Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine.
"The lessons for us, then and now, are stark. When treaties and diplomacy fail, we cannot rely on others to protect us. We must never lose the capability to defend ourselves," he said.
Singapore's best deterrent against aggressors is national service and a strong and operationally ready Singapore Armed Forces, he added.
As a small country, Singapore has to maintain good relations with all countries big and small, he said.
It does not choose sides but instead "(charts) its our own course based on consistent principles and long-term national interests".
Singapore must also remain united and cohesive, said Mr Lee, who highlighted that domestic politics must "stop at our shores".
"We have been lucky to enjoy peace and stability now for more than 50 years. Russia's attack on Ukraine reminds us how precious this is, and how important it is for all of us who call Singapore home to work together to preserve this happy state of affairs," he said.
Singapore will impose export controls on items that can be used as weapons in Ukraine: Vivian Balakrishnan
By Lim Min Zhang, Assistant News Editor, The Straits Times, 28 Feb 2022
Singapore will impose export controls on items that can be used directly as weapons in Ukraine to inflict harm or to subjugate the Ukrainians, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan told Parliament on Monday (Feb 28).
It will also block certain Russian banks and financial transactions connected to Russia, he added in a ministerial statement on the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Specific measures are being worked out, and these sanctions will be announced shortly, the minister added.
"We continue to value our good relations with Russia and the Russian people. However, we cannot accept such violations of sovereignty and territorial integrity of another sovereign state," Dr Balakrishnan said.
"We will continue to work with our Asean and international partners to take a strong stance against the invasion of Ukraine and to end further violence and bloodshed, and to de-escalate tensions."
Russia invaded neighbouring Ukraine on Feb 24 after months of tensions at the border - amassing troops and conducting military exercises. Its actions have been widely condemned by countries around the world.
Dr Balakrishnan noted that Singapore was one of 82 co-sponsors of a recent United Nations Security Council resolution condemning Russia's aggression against Ukraine. The resolution was not passed as Russia - a permanent member of the council - vetoed it.
The resolution was supported by 11 of the 15 council members, with China, India and the United Arab Emirates abstaining.
A similar resolution will be debated by the UN General Assembly later on Monday (Feb 28).
"Singapore has always complied fully with sanctions and decisions of the United Nations Security Council. But we have rarely acted to impose sanctions on other countries in the absence of binding Security Council decisions or directions," said Dr Balakrishnan.
"However, given the unprecedented gravity of the Russian attack on Ukraine, and the unsurprising veto by Russia of a draft Security Council resolution, Singapore intends to act in concert with many other like-minded countries to impose appropriate sanctions and restrictions against Russia."
Dr Balakrishnan added: "We must expect that our measures will come at some cost and implications on our businesses, citizens and, indeed, to Singapore. However, unless we as a country stand up for principles that are the very foundation for the independence and sovereignty of smaller nations, our own right to exist and prosper as a nation may similarly be called into question one day."
After the minister's speech, Mr Gerald Giam (Aljunied GRC) asked how Singapore can maintain its interests with all parties involved, from the United States to Ukraine, Russia and other countries in Europe, given recent events.
Dr Balakrishnan reiterated that Singapore does not take sides, but upholds principles. "And in this case, the principles at stake are independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity."
The Republic's foreign policy is consistent, coherent, and "almost always predictable", he added, noting that since he became foreign minister seven years ago, he has had to say no on occasion to every superpower.
"But it has not stopped us from being able to sit at the table, look at each other's eyes, shake hands, explain where and why we differ, and at the same time, pursue areas of cooperation where our interests align and where our principles are shared," Dr Balakrishnan said.
"This is not a new posture. This, in fact, is a posture that we have adopted for every single year since we've been independent, and I am maintaining that tradition."
Ms Denise Phua (Jalan Besar GRC) asked whether the Government would review ongoing projects and initiatives with the Russian government.
Dr Balakrishnan said details of the sanctions are still being worked out, but added that Singapore has "no quarrel" with the Russian people.
Noting that Ms Phua was indirectly alluding to the Russian Cultural Centre here, which would also house a Russian Orthodox Church, he said: "I would imagine that this is a project which, in my own view, should continue, because this goes beyond the politics and the conflict which is going on right now."
Russia's invasion of Ukraine a clear and gross violation of international norms: Vivian Balakrishnan
By Hariz Baharudin, Assistant News Editor, The Straits Times, 28 Feb 2022
Russia's invasion of Ukraine is a "clear and gross" violation of international norms and sets a completely unacceptable precedent, said Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan.
Speaking in Parliament on Monday (Feb 28), Dr Balakrishnan said the invasion goes to the heart of the fundamental norms of international law, with the United Nations Charter prohibiting the use of force and acts of aggression against another sovereign state.
"This is an existential issue for us," he told the House in a ministerial statement that set out Singapore's stance and response to the escalating conflict in Ukraine.
A world order based on the principle that might is right, or where the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must would be detrimental to Singapore, he stressed.
"Such a world order would be profoundly inimical to the security and survival of small states," said Dr Balakrishnan.
"We cannot accept one country attacking another without justification, arguing that its independence was the result of 'historical errors and crazy decisions'. Such a rationale would go against the internationally recognised legitimacy and territorial integrity of many countries, including Singapore."
The conflict in Ukraine is the culmination of months-long tensions between the country and neighbouring Russia, with Russian President Vladimir Putin authorising a military operation in eastern Ukraine last Thursday (Feb 24).
The situation has since escalated into Europe's biggest conflict since World War II, as Russian forces have captured several parts of Ukraine but have yet to take control of its capital Kyiv and the country's second-largest city, Kharkhiv.
Russia has been building up its military presence along the Ukrainian border over the past several months to exert pressure on the country and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato).
Ukraine, a nation slightly smaller than Myanmar with about 43 million people, wants to join Nato, a military alliance of 30 countries in Europe and North America, but Russia is concerned that any such move would tip the global power balance against it.
Nations around the world, including Singapore, have condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Some European countries, such as Germany and Italy, have pledged to send weapons and battle equipment to Ukraine, while others like the United States have hit Russia with sanctions aimed at crippling its economy.
Over the weekend, the US, Britain, Europe and Canada moved to block Russia's access to the Swift international payment system.
The Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication (Swift) is a secure messaging system to ensure rapid cross-border payments which has become the principal mechanism to finance international trade.
Dr Balakrishan said the sovereignty, political independence and the territorial integrity of all countries, big and small, must be respected.
Singapore must take any violation of these core principles seriously whenever and wherever they occur, and this is why the country has strongly condemned Russia's unprovoked attack on Ukraine, he added.
It is too easy for a small country to be caught up in the geopolitical games of big powers, warned Dr Balakrishnan.
He said small countries must avoid becoming sacrificial pawns, vassal states or "cat's paws" to be used by one side against the other. It is for this reason that Singapore works hard to maintain good relations with all its neighbours and with big powers.
When situations arise, Singapore's assessments and actions are based on clearly enunciated and consistently held principles that are in its own long-term national interests. Rather than choosing sides, the country upholds its principles.
But this will not always be the case, he said. "There will be occasions when we will have to take a stand, even if it is contrary to one or more powers on the basis of principles as we are doing now."
Singapore can draw important lessons from Ukraine’s invasion, said Dr Balakrishnan, noting that while international law and diplomatic principles are essential, they are not sufficient.
The ongoing crisis demonstrates how quickly a vulnerable country can be overrun, especially when confronting a larger and more powerful opponent, he said. “This is the acute reality for all small countries, and Singapore is no exception.”
Singapore cannot depend on others for protection and must never lose the ability to defend and look after itself, added Dr Balakrishnan.
The country has thus invested consistently in defence to build up the strength and credibility of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), and maintained national service as a fundamental element.
“The capability of the SAF must be undergirded by Singaporeans’ resolve – the iron determination of our people to fight and die, if need be, to defend what is ours, and our way of life,” he said.
“Without such capability and resolve, no amount of diplomacy can save a country.”
'Existential issue for tiny state': Singapore UN ambassador on sovereignty at UN meeting on Ukraine
By Sarah Ng, Assistant Foreign Editor, The Straits Times, 1 Mar 2022
The unprovoked invasion of Ukraine by Russia is a clear and gross violation of the fundamental norms of international law, said Singapore's Ambassador Burhan Gafoor at a United Nations emergency meeting on Monday (Feb 28) in New York.
The invasion is also a contravention of the UN Charter which prohibits the use of force and acts of aggression against another sovereign State, Mr Gafoor said at the Emergency Special Session of the UN General Assembly.
"The Secretary-General of the UN has stated that he considers the actions of the Russian Federation to be a violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine and inconsistent with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations," Mr Gafoor said.
"We agree with the Secretary-General entirely and we support his call for the Russian Federation to withdraw all its troops from the territory of Ukraine and for the responsible actors to immediately cease all hostilities and prioritise diplomacy to address all issues peacefully in accordance with the UN Charter and international law."
Mr Gafoor added that Singapore also supports UN efforts to facilitate diplomatic contacts and negotiations.
Stressing the importance of sovereignty, Mr Gafoor said "the sovereignty, political independence, and territorial integrity of all countries, including Ukraine, must be respected within its internationally recognised borders".
When Mr Gafoor ended his six-minute speech and was making his way back to his seat, Ukraine's Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya went up to him and gave him a hug.
Mr Gafoor, a career diplomat, has been Singapore's Permanent Representative to the UN in New York since 2016. He was previously Singapore's ambassador to France and high commissioner to Australia.
The rare emergency special session on Monday was held to discuss the crisis in Ukraine, after a UN Security Council resolution last Friday deploring Russia's aggression against Ukraine was not passed. Russia - a permanent member of the council - had vetoed it.
Some 100 countries are expected to address the General Assembly, which is scheduled to vote on the draft resolution, tentatively expected on Wednesday.
No country has a veto in the General Assembly and Western diplomats expect the resolution, which needs two-thirds support, to be adopted.
Although General Assembly resolutions are non-binding, they are considered to carry political weight as they express the will of the wider UN membership.
At the meeting on Monday, Mr Gafoor said that Singapore has always taken a consistent position on the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of all countries.
"This is a matter of principle for all small states and a matter of fundamental importance for all members of the General Assembly. For a tiny city state like Singapore, this is an existential issue. A world order where 'might is right', or 'the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must', would be profoundly inimical to the security and survival of small states," he said.
"We cannot accept one country attacking another without justification, arguing that its independence was the result of 'historical errors and crazy decisions'."
Mr Gafoor said that such an argument and rationale would go against the internationally recognised legitimacy and territorial integrity of many countries, including Singapore.
"This is why Singapore condemns in the strongest terms possible any unprovoked invasion of a sovereign country under any pretext. We deplore the Russian Federation's 'special military operation' against Ukraine, both its operation in the Donbass region, and the broader land, air, and sea attacks across Ukraine, including on Kyiv, the capital city," Mr Gafoor said.
The ambassador added that Singapore will not hesitate to vote "yes" on the draft resolution and that the Republic will always vote to uphold the principles of the UN Charter and to uphold international law.
Urging all members of the General Assembly to vote "yes", Mr Gafoor said: "This resolution is not about taking sides. It is about upholding international law and the principles of the UN Charter.
"It is important that all countries, especially the small states, send a clear signal that we are united for peace, we are united to defend the principles of the UN Charter, and we are united to uphold international law."
Why Singapore had to take a strong stand against Russia's attack on Ukraine: Teo Chee Hean
By Warren Fernandez, Editor-in-Chief, The Straits Times, 26 Mar 2022
More than a month after it launched its invasion, Russia continues to pound cities in Ukraine and push its forces into its unfortunate neighbour.
Sadly, millions have been displaced. Cities are blackened shadows of what they were. Once hailed as brothers, Ukrainians now view Russians as hated occupiers, ready and willing to destroy their land and ruin their lives.
The impact is being felt far beyond both Ukraine and Europe. Energy and food prices have shot up and look set to get worse.
Emotions are also running high, with the conflict giving rise to a "with-me-or-against-me" frame of mind among many.
So while some have hailed the swift and sweeping economic sanctions imposed on Russia as a sign of resolve among the United States and its partners, others see it as yet another instance of Western bullying, ever ready to impose its will on those who do not share its worldview.
These differences have been palpable in Singapore too, going by recent polls and views flaring up in online discussions.
A recent survey by research group Blackbox found that over nine in 10 of those polled in Singapore supported or sympathised most closely with Ukraine in the conflict. In comparison, 71 per cent in China supported Ukraine, compared with 91 per cent in India and 86 per cent in Australia.
In the poll conducted early this month, nearly seven in 10 Singaporeans blamed Russia for the crisis, compared with 10 per cent in China, 60 per cent in India and 82 per cent in Australia. Three per cent in China pointed to the United States as being most to blame, while 54 per cent said they did not know who was most responsible.
Singapore responded by imposing sanctions on Russia, targeting several banks and goods like electronics, computers and military items. This move was supported by 60 per cent of Singaporeans polled, while 35 per cent were unsure or had no opinion. In contrast, only 15 per cent of respondents in China supported sanctions, while 41 per cent in India and 78 per cent in Australia said they did.
So the questions have inevitably arisen: Was Singapore's strong stand - more forceful and forthright than most in the region, save for Japan - necessary? Had it done likewise in previous conflicts?
Was imposing sanctions wise? Would there be repercussions for its businesses and people? And did it signal how the Republic might react should similar conflicts break out closer to home?
For some insights into these critical questions, I turned to Singapore's Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean, who is its Coordinating Minister for National Security. A former Navy chief and Defence Minister, he has tracked and thought about these issues for many years. He spent over an hour discussing the current crisis with me and my counterpart from our Chinese-language newsrooms, Ms Lee Huay Leng, at his office earlier this week.
Singapore's position, he said, has been "clear and consistent" over the years.
"Singapore has always been a staunch supporter of international law and the principles enshrined in the United Nations (UN) Charter. The sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity of all countries, big and small, must be respected," he noted.
"We cannot accept one country attacking another country - or trying to overthrow its government through armed intervention - without justification. We cannot accept one country arguing that another country's independence is the result of 'historical errors and crazy decisions'."
International law, he added, as enshrined in the UN Charter, made clear that no country should threaten or use force against the territorial integrity or political independence of another. The use of force without the backing of the UN Security Council was justified only in self-defence against an armed attack.
"This is why Singapore has strongly condemned Russia's attack on Ukraine. We must take any violation of these core principles seriously, whenever and wherever they occur."
He pointed to how Singapore had done the same in 1983, voting against the United States' invasion of Grenada at the UN General Assembly. Similarly, it had also opposed Vietnam's invasion of Cambodia from 1979 to 1989.
"Our 1983 vote against the US did not mean that we were an adversary of the US. The US was a close friend and continues to be so; but we still had to express our disagreement," he said.
"In a similar way, we voted against the invasion of Cambodia, but this did not mean that we endorsed the Khmer Rouge regime. In fact, we opposed what the Khmer Rouge did to its own people. But we could not accept that one country can invade another."
But even if Singapore felt a need to assert the principle, was there a need to join in the imposition of sanctions by the US and its partners?
Yes, he asserted, "given the unprecedented gravity of the Russian attack on Ukraine".
Singapore's moves were "specific and targeted", and aimed at constraining "Russia's capacity to conduct war against Ukraine and undermine its sovereignty", he added.
"They do not have the same scope as those imposed by other countries," he said, noting that many other countries had imposed sanctions, with each having its own set of measures. The US and many European countries have wide- ranging, but not identical sanctions. Other countries have imposed sanctions which are not as broad.
The sanctions included export controls on items that could be directly used as weapons to inflict harm on or to subjugate the Ukrainians, as well as items for offensive cyber operations. Some financial measures targeted at designated Russian banks, entities and activities in Russia, as well as fundraising activities benefiting the Russian government were also taken.
While most Singaporeans appear to agree with the need to send a strong signal, there are clear differences of views on the issue of sanctions, as the Blackbox survey made clear. Older, Chinese-educated Singaporeans, and especially those with business interests in China, appear more likely to voice concerns about the wisdom of being seen to be hitching Singapore's wagon onto the US and the West.
Some commentators have argued that since the sanctions are targeted at Russia, which has a much vaunted "no limits" partnership with China, they might be seen as reflecting Singapore's pro-Western bent, and its attitude towards Beijing.
The recent closely-watched virtual meeting between China's President Xi Jinping and US President Joe Biden, during which Mr Biden pointedly told Mr Xi that China would face "consequences" if it provided material support for Mr Vladimir Putin's war, also left some wondering if this was the most effective way to secure Beijing's support.
Mr Xi's response that US-China ties, especially on the fraught issue of Taiwan, have to be managed with care, was also telling. So too his reference to letting "he who tied the bell on the tiger take it off".
This has led some to conclude that Beijing has decided it is in its interests to watch the crisis unfold, since taking steps to rein in Moscow could end up giving Washington a freer hand to turn its sights back on China, which it has pointed to repeatedly as its top strategic competitor.
I took some of these issues up with Mr Teo. Thoughtfully, he took a few steps back to reflect on the wider issues at hand.
The war in Ukraine, he ventured, has implications for other parts of the world, including East Asia and South-east Asia.
"There are potential flash points in our region whose trajectory could escalate to conflict with catastrophic consequences," he said.
Conflicts are often deep-seated, and rooted in events over decades and generations, rather than any specific developments of the most recent weeks or months, he said.
"Countries with an interest in our region need to study how events unfolded in Europe over several years, and to have the collective restraint and wisdom to avoid going down the path to conflict.
"Brinkmanship can easily lead to miscalculations with tragic consequences. We should avoid getting to that point. Once unleashed, it will be difficult for the sound of the guns to be quietened."
So, what lessons might be drawn from the unfortunate conflict now unfolding, which threatens not only to divide Europe, but perhaps also to split the world into rival East-West camps, of democracies and autocracies?
He replied: "First, conflicts do not suddenly start on their own. There is always a history to every conflict, with different circumstances in each case. Countries need to understand the history and context, take the interests of the various parties into account, manage the situation and act according to the principles of the UN Charter and international law.
"They should find ways to reduce the precursors of conflict, and pursue all efforts to settle disputes through peaceful means.
"Second, we should create constructs that try to bridge differences and encourage cooperative behaviour in our region."
He cited the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec), aimed at bridging the Pacific. There was also the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a high-quality, inclusive trading group, which might draw countries from across the Asia-Pacific together to foster a shared future of prosperity, peace and stability. Then there were also proposals for an Indo-Pacific Economic Framework.
"Regardless of the prefix, Asia-, Trans- or Indo-, let us put our energy and creativity into building and evolving constructs that converge rather than diverge," he said.
"This will help create a cooperative environment that will manage the precursors of conflict wisely, and build a region that is truly pacific for years to come."
Much is at stake. Beyond the immediate concerns about how to end the ongoing fighting, are grave issues such as whether the hatred engendered between Ukrainians and Russians might ever be healed, as well as suspicions that have been aroused between Russia and western Europeans, or more broadly, the United States and China.
Wittingly or otherwise, Mr Putin's war in Ukraine has upended the global chessboard. How the pieces will land in the months to come is anyone's guess, but this could determine the future - and, alas, perhaps even the fate - of the world.
Brinkmanship or bridge-building? Let's hope that cooler heads and wiser counsel prevail.
The world now most needs statesmen able to take the long view, both backwards and forwards, to understand that the pressing shared challenges it faces - from the pandemic to climate change - call for less conflict and confrontation, and more collaboration.
Otherwise, a long, arduous road, fraught with uncertainty, lies ahead.
Related
Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan’s Ministerial Statement on the Situation in Ukraine and its Implications -28 February 2022
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