US invites more countries to step up and pressure Russia into ending offensive in Ukraine

KOTA KINABALU: The United States of America is hoping that other countries will join it in putting pressure on Russia over the ongoing conflict with Ukraine.

US ambassador to Malaysia Brian McFeeters said with what was going on in the world right now, it was important for the United States to reiterate its stand.

“It is important that I share with you the US government’s perspective on Russia's unprovoked, unjustified, premeditated attack on Ukraine,” he said during a roundtable session with members of the media here Friday (March 11).

“We see that it is completely unacceptable. We think it is important that all countries including Malaysia realise how unacceptable it is, and there should be no situation under which one country tries to change another country’s borders unilaterally with force,” he said.

McFeeters said every country including Ukraine should have a right to choose its own form of government, in this case a democratic form of government.

“So I just want to make clear that the US government completely stands in solidarity with Ukraine and will continue to put pressure with sanctions everywhere we can against Russia and we’re hoping other countries will join us in that effort,” he said.

Asked if the US government was disappointed that Malaysia was not taking a stronger stance against Russia and whether it hopes that Asean countries other than Singapore adopt a stronger position, he said more needed to be done.

“Having said that, we are quite pleased that Malaysia joined with the United Nations General Assembly vote a week ago to condemn Russia along with about 150 other countries, so that was very important,” he added.

“And also Malaysia joined many countries at the UN Human Rights Council on a similar condemnatory statement about Russia, so in that sense we feel like we do have a good relationship with Malaysia,” he said.

McFeeters said the conflict was one of those instances where nothing that was done would suffice until the crisis was over, hence the need to keep putting pressure on Russia in any way possible.

On another matter, he conveyed condolences on behalf of the Embassy to the families of victims in the landslide in Taman Bukit Permai, Ampang on Thursday (March 10), in which four people died.

“We heard the news overnight in the Ampang area where the embassy is, so we would like to convey our condolences for those deaths," he said.

McFeeters was among 12 delegates from the embassy on a three-day visit to Sabah from Wednesday (March 9).

They met with government officials and non-governmental organisations to discuss various matters including environmental and climate change issues, renewing partnerships, security and social development subjects.

This is McFeeters' first visit to Sabah.