Cabinet meeting feels Thailand may have to ‘adjust part of its stance’ on Russia-Ukraine conflict
A cabinet meeting on the Russia-Ukraine conflict felt Thailand might have to "adjust part of its stance” to find a neutral standpoint that can steer the situation in the right direction, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Don Pramudwinai said on Tuesday after the meeting.
“The approach of condemning [Russia] that many countries are using will not help the situation,” he said. “This conflict must be resolved with negotiations among the parties involved, which everyone is trying to make happen. Mutual discussions must also be carried out.”
Regarding the fact that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has applied to join the European Union, Don said Ukraine becoming an EU member will only make it harder for the country to come to agreeable terms with Russia, but Zelensky’s move is to be expected, as the main negotiators must have their backers.
“Thailand is lucky because we are friends with everyone in the world. We can talk to anyone, but the impact of discussions may differ,” Don said.
“The ministry has a way of discussing the situation with the EU, Russia, Ukraine and the United States. However, this conflict is clearly an European matter and therefore Thailand won’t have to play an active role early on. Sometimes it’s better to wait and let nature take its course,” he said.
“We will, however, continue to monitor the situation closely and embrace its fallout, which will definitely include the energy problem and higher inflation,” the minister said.
“Many are following the situation via social media, in which news sources are from Europe and use English as the medium so everyone in the world can understand,” Don added. “Most people do not understand Russian, so it is natural for the majority to side with the West.”
