German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Monday pointed out that influential countries such as India, Vietnam, and South Africa hesitate at criticizing Russia over the war in Ukraine because they believe international principles are not applied equally.

In October 2022, United Nations members voted overwhelmingly to demand that Russian forces immediately withdraw from Ukraine. However, dozens of members either opposed the resolution or abstained, refusing to join a US-led campaign pressure to impose anti-Russian sanctions.

"When I talk to leaders from those countries, many assure me that they are not questioning the underlying principles of our international order. What they are struggling with is the unequal application of those principles," Scholz indicated during his speech at the Global Solutions Summit in Berlin.

"What they expect is representation on equal terms, and an end to Western double standards," he added.

German Chancellor considered that cooperation from those countries will be "limited at best" if their leaders recognize that "we only approach them because we are interested in their raw materials or because we want their support on a UN resolution."

He indicated that granting developing countries a bigger voice in international affairs would help earn their cooperation, suggesting giving African nations permanent representation on the UN Security Council and considering the African Union a permanent G20 member.

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