Many governments in Asia remain ambivalent about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Japan, in contrast, has been full-throated in its support for the besieged country. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has applauded Tokyo, telling the Japan's Parliament that “You were the first in Asia to put real pressure on Russia to restore peace.” Tokyo should use its influence and its political capital to persuade countries sitting on the fence to join it and support a global order that is under attack.
There are multiple reasons that governments in Asia and elsewhere have refused to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. For some, there is anxiety about taking sides in a geopolitical contest between the West and Moscow (and China). There are doubts about the degree to which Western positions reflect Asian values and interests. And, on a more banal but perhaps most important level, there are concerns about jeopardizing access to Russia arms or energy exports.