Time to throw obstructionist Russia off the UN Security Council?

  • 2014-03-03
  • From wire reports, RIGA

The international community's reaction to the developments in Ukrainehas been "very meek," ex-President Vaira Vike-Freiberga said in an interview with Latvian State Television on March 2, reports LETA.

Many Western countries and organizations have just begun pondering what they should do, said Vike-Freiberga, making harshly critical remarks about the United Nations. "Seeking how impotent and completely useless the United Nations is in relations with Russia, which has the veto right at the UN Security Council, I have an impression that Russia can do anything it wants, anywhere," said Vike-Freiberga, adding that she was dismayed to see the world's "cowardly" reaction.

She believes that Ukrainehas been forced into a tight corner - the moment it does anything to protect itself, Russiawill occupy an even larger part of Ukraine. After the Russia-Georgia war, then-U.S. President George Bush imposed a number of sanctions on Russia, but the current U.S. President Barack Obama has called for the past woes to be forgotten, reminded Vike-Freiberga.

"The Baltic countries must finally realize that NATO membership does not just mean flying the NATO flag now and then, but to also invest in own security and achieve that territorial defense plan be created for all three Baltic countries," believes Vike-Freiberga.

"We must, even if it means tightening our belts, make the armed forces stronger so we could request assistance from the partners, if necessary," she said.