Comments: Jokowi’s Ukraine and Russia visit is not just image politics

There were  simply no miracles. In Ukraine, Jokowi visited the particular scarred city of Irpin, as other dignitaries  have before your pet, called for peace  and offered to carry a note to Russian Leader Vladimir Putin.

In Moscow, the Indonesian leader  said he had secured  Russian guarantees for that security of as well as fertiliser supplies, yet offered no specifics  —  while  the Kremlin simply converted the occasion  into a demonstration of support, and proof that efforts to cut away Russia cannot be successful.

INDONESIA SHOULD TEST LIMITS OF NON-ALIGNMENT

Can Indonesia  achieve more? Certainly.

But it must test the limitations of its  non-aligned position  and  acknowledge that unpicking a global food crisis as well as a war that violates the basic principles associated with Indonesia’s own international policy — among them, respect for sovereignty and non-aggression  — is impossible when Russia is permitted to pit the Western against the rest.

Nor will platitudes  on the need for talks suffice. It will not be enough to allow this particular peacebuilding effort in order to fade  as Jakarta’s recent attempts  possess, say in Afghanistan or Myanmar.

Indonesia  exemplifies the particular balancing act many emerging nations have struggled with over the past few months. They are balancing discomfort with Moscow’s disregard for basic norms and  the truth of  popular support  for Russia — the result of Soviet-era connections, distrust of the Western, admiration for a strongman leader  and the widespread perception, fed by pro-Russian social media propaganda,   that Putin  is  supportive of  Islamic nations.

Indonesia identified in favor of an Usa Nations  resolution condemning Russian aggression and Jokowi pointedly visited Kyiv first,   but the nation has also sidestepped explicit censure of Russia  plus refused  Ukrainian requests for weapons. That can prove an advantage.

Read more upon: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/commentary/indonesia-jokowi-ukraine-russia-diplomacy-peace-g20-2790146