Zelenskyy urges Asian nations to "change their attitudes" toward Ukraine

Key Takeaways:

• Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed that he wants Asian countries to "change their attitude" toward his country, similar to Europe's following the Russian invasion.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine stated that he wants Asian countries to "alter their attitude" toward his country, much as Europe did in the aftermath of the Russian invasion. At a press conference, Zelenskyy said that certain NATO countries misjudged Ukraine, forcing the union to reject it as a member, calling it a "terrible blunder."

He went on to say that Ukraine's strength in the face of Russia's invasion "managed to shift the alliance's and European member states' attitudes."

"I'd want to see Asian countries modify their attitudes about Ukraine as well," Zelenskyy said.

In recent weeks, India and several other Asian countries have abstained from several UN resolutions concerning Ukraine.

The UN General Assembly decided earlier this month to remove Russia's UN Human Rights Council membership. 93 members voted in favor, 24 members voted against, as well as 58 members abstained. India, Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Iraq, Kuwait, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Omran, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, Singapore, and Thailand are among the Asian countries to abstain from voting at the United Nations.

Zelenskyy also picked seven countries closer to Russia because of their former Soviet Union relations.

"As a result, following the repeal of the Soviet Union, they historically were close to Russia," he explained. "The Russian Federation was the successor of the Soviet Union and the largest country as part of the former Soviet Union, so their relations with Russia remain strong."

The words by Zelenskyy come as the US and other Western allies try to persuade India to abandon Russia and join them in criticizing its important defense partner. India has always called for an end to the violence but has refused to join any sanctions imposed by the West against Russia.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken remarked during a recent 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue between India and the US that New Delhi's connection with Moscow developed over decades when the US was unable to be a partner of the South Asian country.

He did say that "things have changed" and that the US is now "able and willing to be India's preferred partner in practically every realm: business, technology, education, and security."