Jacinda Ardern’s solution to conflict could not be clearer: she refuses to engage with protesters to resolve the domestic conflict of her own making but suggests talking will take the heat out of the the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Dialogue either works as a strategy to resolve differences, or it doesn’t. Most conflicts eventually end with discussions around a negotiating table and the sooner the dialogue between conflicted parties begins’ the less costly the process and the sooner the conflict ends.
Ardern advocates for dialogue to end the Russian conflict, but refuses to take her own advice and talk with the Wellington protesters.
On Newshub Nation Ardern’s eyes regularly flew upwards as if beseeching the heavens for the ‘right’ answer, or perhaps to make us think she is giving well-considered thought.
Simon Shepherd put a question to Ardern about the stance taken by China, our largest trading partner, on Putin’s attacks on Ukraine. It required a lengthy plea toward heaven before responding.
“At this stage I wouldn’t wish to hazard a guess on or, you know, really…at this point pinpoint exactly where China’s likely to position itself on this…on this conflict.
But what I can say is that it will be very clear to everyone there’s almost a…a…widely held and very openly stated position…by significant partners on what’s happening here. Aaah…and so very little distance between those in Europe…their response right now and the rest of the world.”
Ardern alleges the rest of the world is united against Putin’s hostilities but Simon Shepherd reminded her about the recent joint statement issued by Putin and Xi Jinping stating, “There are no forbidden areas of cooperation”.
Ardern refuted the notion that China might endorse Russian hostilities, but how can she be sure? She can’t, and won’t want to address the possible issue of our largest trading partner being complicit in Russia’s hostile takeover, after trumpeting her success as the first country in the ‘free world’ to secure a free trade deal with China. Two years of repressive Covid mandates brings New Zealand’s place in the free world into question and the instances of Russian New Zealanders returning to Russia for a better life in communist Russia than so-called democratic New Zealand doesn’t help either.
It is pointless asking Ardern if Putin would have been so bold had Donald Trump still been in charge. Ardern is unlikely to admit to the damage Joe Biden’s weak leadership has done to the US and the rest of the world. Trump made the USA energy self sufficient and adopted sanctions that hindered Putin advancing the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline from Russia to Germany’s Baltic coast. Biden dropped sanctions against companies involved in the construction last year and oil prices are now skyrocketing.
Putin and Xi Jinping had not met for two years until earlier this month when they issued their joint statement. It is inconceivable to suggest China was ignorant of Russia’s plans for Ukraine, however Ardern chooses to frame it.
More recently China, the UAE and India abstained from the UN resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“No again…no again I would also caution about us making aah…large assumptions at this point around their position and I think the most important thing that we can continue to do aah is encourage diplomatic engagement and discussions that ensure that we don’t see a further…any further escalation.”
Ardern recommends discussion as the way forward to resolving Russian aggression but refuses point blank to engage with anti-mandate protesters on home soil. If discussion works for one scenario, why doesn’t it work for the other?
“With Russia obviously that window is closed and the world is taking a very strong position in condemnation whilst continuing to reinforce the importance of diplomatic engagement…this was totally avoidable…totally. So any loss of life that we see from this point forward must squarely sit on the shoulders of Russia choosing to take this action.”
Newshub Nation Transcript Sunday 26 February 2022
Naughty, naughty, smack smack doesn’t work when the aggressor holds the upper hand. In Ardern’s conflict with New Zealand protesters, she holds the upper hand as the aggressor where conciliation is viewed as weakness and subordinates are not allowed to question her tyrannical behaviour, much like Putin’s aggression.
The fallout from repeated lockdowns, masking and vaccine mandates sits squarely on Ardern’s shoulders and she will be held accountable for the erosion of physical and mental health, business failures and job losses resulting from the Covid mandates that New Zealanders are fed up with.
Put simply, it’s impossible for Ardern to take her own advice about reducing the heat in a conflict when she is the guilty party. It is, however, very easy to suggest Putin will sit down to negotiate knowing that eventually he will do that but only when he has achieved control of Ukraine.