TOKYO, May 25 (NNN-BERNAMA) – “War is not a solution to conflicts,” said former Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir Mohamad, here at a press conference, yesterday.
The world now faces similar common problems, which cannot be dealt with by individual countries, as “we are basically one world,” the 97-year-old former prime minister said, during his speech at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan, in Tokyo.
Regarding the Ukraine crisis, Mahathir calls for negotiations “round a table, not on the battlefield of war,” adding that, the U.S.-led military aid to Ukraine and unbridled attacks on Russia “could lead to a world war.”
Mahathir told the press that, the reason why some invited state leaders to the just-concluded Group of Seven (G7) summit, did not show support for Ukraine was that “they don’t like war.”
“I don’t think going to war, confrontation, or sending your speaker to provoke other countries is a good way of ending a problem that affects the whole world. So my view is that, we must reject war,” he said.
At the G7 summit, which concluded Sunday, in Japan’s western city of Hiroshima, the G7 members vowed to intensify support for Ukraine, and announced specific measures to sanction Russia, in a standalone statement on Ukraine.
Mahathir pointed out that, the decision made to apply sanctions on Russia has already affected the economy of Malaysia and many other countries, that “have no wish to fight against anyone.”
“Yes, you can apply sanctions, but sanctions hurt other countries as well,” said the former prime minister.– NNN-BERNAMA