By Le Figaro with AFP
Published
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Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto proposed a plan to end the war between Russia and Ukraine on Saturday at a defense and security conference in Singapore, a move immediately criticized by several attendees. “I call on Russia and Ukraine to commit to immediately cease all hostilitieshe said, pointing out that the economies and food supply of Asian countries were badly affected by this conflict.
The minister proposed a ceasefire “on current positions», demilitarized zones which would be guaranteed by observers and UN peacekeeping forces. He also suggested eventually a “referendum in disputed areasorganized by the United Nations, during his speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue Conference on Defense and Security in Asia-Pacific. “Indonesia is ready to contribute by sending units for a potential UN peacekeeping operation“, he added.
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In April, China presented its own peace plan to end the war in Ukraine.
Indonesia, which favors non-aligned diplomacy, has already attempted a peace mediation between the two belligerents. Indonesian President Joko Widodo traveled to Kyiv and Moscow and met with Ukrainian and Russian leaders last year when the country chaired the G20 group.
The Defense Minister’s proposal was however criticized at the conference, with one participant reproaching him for putting the aggressor and the attacked on the same level. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has argued that a peace in Ukraine must be achieved on acceptable terms without risking freezing the conflict. “We must bring peace to Ukraine“but it must be”a just peace, not a peace of surrenderhe said, speaking after the Indonesian minister.
Indonesia voted in favor of a UN resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine but did not apply economic sanctions against Moscow.