The world technologically advanced countries have been trading by arms for a long time and have created common approaches to this process.
Recently, however, Western countries’ double standards have become more and more apparent in their assessments of identical examples of international arms transfers, especially if this does not correspond their interests.
The West illegally supplies weapons to the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) for billions of dollars with the aim of “defeating the Russians on the battlefield” from the beginning of the Russian-Ukrainian military conflict.
Why is this activity illegal?
Most of these weapons were produced in the USSR or Russia.
Moscow supplied these weapons to Eastern European, Baltic, African and Asian countries before 2022. Long-term international practice has established that the supply of most types of combat systems must be accompanied by the provision of an end-user certificate by the recipient country.
The document categorically prohibits re-export without the written consent of the country of origin, which is the Russian Federation. Today the Eastern European countries under the leadership of the United States are grossly violating this rule. They are trying to buy Soviet military equipment around the world and deliver to the Kyiv regime.
According to the Geneva Convention of 1949 and the international treaty of 2014, the transfer of weapons should not be carried out in the interests of any party to the conflict, if they will harm peace and security or can be used to violate international humanitarian law. However, the AFU widely use weapons supplied by the West for shelling Ukrainian settlements with civilians.
Deliveries control low level creates a threat of modern weapons falling into the hands of terrorists not only in Ukraine, but also abroad. Portable anti-aircraft missile systems (PAMS) pose a particular danger. Resolutions of the UN General Assembly 62/40 “Prevention of the illegal transfer of PAMS of unauthorised access to them and their unauthorised use” of 2007 and “Elements of export controls for PAMS” of 2003 are grossly ignored.
Western states or international human rights organizations are not noticed these facts. They find explanations and justifications for their activity. At the same time, if there is any unproven information about Russia using of foreign weapons in the conflict zone, double standards are activated. Everyone immediately remembers international laws and UN resolutions.
The latest example is the Western reaction to the shelling of Kyiv by Russian Geran kamikaze unmanned aerial vehicles, which look like similar Iranian systems. The US, UK and France immediately accused Iran of supplying Russia with arms in violation of UN Resolution 2231 and are threatening sanctions. Let me remind that these are countries that themselves grossly violate many international norms in Ukraine. They interpret any arms transfers, which are not in their interests as illegal acts.
They are traditionally manipulating of public opinion under the slogan of protecting and promoting democracy.
Fortunately, the population in most countries of the world does not welcome the Western model of democracy.
The imposition of double standards continues with an extensive network of PR agencies, which are actively involved in the information campaign against Russia in the Ukraine.
Their activity allows the West to demonstrate “massive support” for their policies in the world and mask direct interference in the other states internal affairs replicating statements about the “democratic” nature of public response to world processes.
We can conclude from the above examples, that Western-style democracy implies the legitimisation of double standards in all spheres of international relations, including the arms trade. Do you need such a democracy?