World leaders scrambled Tuesday to condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin — and to signal possible sanctions — after he ordered his forces into separatist regions of eastern Ukraine.
While Russia’s troop movements were still not clear, leaders in Asia and elsewhere voiced strong support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, along with worries about how a European war could hurt global and local economies and endanger foreign nationals trapped in Ukraine.
“Ukraine’s sovereignty and territory must be respected,” South Korean President Moon Jae-in said. “A military clash against the wishes of the international community … would bring huge ramifications in the politics and economies of not only Europe, but to the whole world.”
A conflict could devastate Ukraine and cause huge economic damage across Europe, which is heavily dependent on Russian energy. But Asian nations are also worried.
Putin blamed NATO for the current crisis and called the U.S.-led alliance an existential threat to Russia.
Some nations publicly signaled a willingness to pursue punishment.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida criticized Russia for violating Ukrainian territorial integrity and said his country would discuss possible “severe actions,” including sanctions, with the international community.
Putin’s “actions are unacceptable, and we express our strong condemnation,” Kishida told reporters Tuesday. “Japan is watching the development with grave concern.”
Japan has a separate territorial dispute with Moscow over four Russian-controlled northern islands taken at the end of World War II. The standoff has prevented the signing of a peace treaty between the two sides.
The global condemnation came amid rising skirmishes in the eastern regions of Ukraine that Western powers believe Russia could use as a pretext for an attack on the Europe-facing democracy that has defied Moscow’s attempts to pull it back into its orbit.
New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta said there was no basis under international law for Putin to recognize the Ukrainian separatist regions.
“We are concerned that this is a calculated act by President Putin to create a pretext for invasion, which would be a clear act of aggression. We again call for urgent diplomatic efforts to find a peaceful resolution,” Mahuta said in a statement.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Russia should “unconditionally withdraw” from Ukrainian territory and stop threatening its neighbors. Morrison said Russia’s actions were “unacceptable; it’s unprovoked, it’s unwarranted.”