TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Foreign Ministry on Monday asserted that Indonesia is beside Ukraine amid its conflict with Russia. However, the ministry’s spokesperson Teuku Faizasyah said that Indonesia could not suddenly severe its bilateral ties with Moscow.

His statement came in response to a criticism conveyed by the Ukrainian Ambassador to Indonesia, Vasyl Hamianin, who questioned Indonesia’s absence in condemning the Russian invasion and why Indonesia continues to maintain bilateral connections with Russia.

“We empathize with the situation in Ukraine. However, this does not mean our empathy makes us unable to befriend Russia,” said the spokesperson to Tempo on August 8. “Indonesia is one of the few countries that are able to speak to the Russians to express our direct concerns towards the ongoing conflict.”

Moreover, Ambassador Hamianin said he was heartbroken by the Tweet published by the Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry that cited Minister Retno Marsudi’s statement in Cambodia, where the minister acknowledged the ASEAN-Russia partnership and how she expects it to bring peace and prosperity based on the UN charter.

"So disappointed. That's very strange. I wonder if Indonesia still accepts the fascist regime?" Hamianin told Tempo, Monday, August 8.

Teuku insisted that the country has showcased numerous attempts to show its support for a peaceful resolution between Ukraine and Russia, one of which being President Joko Widodo’s meeting with Vladimir Putin. Indonesia has also invited both the President of Russia and the President of Ukraine to the G20 Presidency in Bali.

DANIEL AHMAD

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