Ex-FM Kasit urges Thai govt to call for Russia-Ukraine truce
Thailand must use its United Nations seat to call for an immediate ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine war and for both countries to return to the negotiating table, former foreign minister Kasit Piromya said on Friday.
He said the government should show Thailand is a peace-loving country by calling on Russia and Ukraine, as well as the United States and Nato, to secure a truce so the warring sides can solve their dispute through negotiations.
“Thailand can do this [call for a ceasefire] unilaterally through the United Nations and other international forums. We can also make the call via Asean or alongside other countries such as Turkey, China or India,” he said.
Kasit, who served as the Thai ambassador to Russia in the mid-1990s, said signs in the international community were now pointing towards this option. He noted that France, Germany and Italy have called on Russia and Ukraine to return to the negotiating table.
The war between the two neighbouring countries has raged for almost three months since Russian troops invaded Ukraine on February 24. Previous talks between the two countries failed to bring an end to hostilities.
Kasit voiced support for Thailand’s stance to condemn Russia’s invasion but opt out of US-led sanctions imposed mostly by Western countries.
“Thailand is not directly involved in the conflict,” he explained. “We have good ties with both Russia and Ukraine, as well as the whole of Europe.”