PALIKIR, Pohnpei—On February 25th, 2022, the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) has conveyed to the Russian Federation that diplomatic relations between our two countries have been severed. The FSM will only entertain renewing diplomatic relations with the Russian Federation when the latter demonstrates actionable commitments to peace, friendship, cooperation, and love in our common humanity.
“The People & Government of the FSM stand in solidarity with the People & Government of Ukraine, a country that, like ours, embraces democracy and democratic principles, and the rule of law. The FSM, with great sympathy to the People & Government of Ukraine, recognizes that Ukraine has been violently and unjustifiably invaded by the Russian Federation,” His Excellency David W. Panuelo, President of the FSM, said in a statement. “To the People & Government of Ukraine: while it may be little comfort, the People & Government of the FSM supports your sovereignty, and supports your right to exist, including your right to exist in peace and harmony with your neighbors.”
“To the People of the Russian Federation: the FSM continues to extend to you peace, friendship, cooperation, and love in our common humanity, which we extend to all peoples and nations on this shared planet of ours. The People & Government of the FSM have no animosity towards the People of the Russian Federation,” President Panuelo continued. “The same can only be said of the Government of the Russian Federation, however, once they recognize that choosing war instead of peace, violence instead of friendship, betrayal instead of cooperation, and hatred instead of love, is both unsustainable and unjustified. The FSM condemns the Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine and the unjustified and brutal assault on its people and territory, which our country recognizes as unambiguously villainous and holds in the highest form of contempt. The FSM
condemns the Government of Russia for their invasion into the sovereign territory of Ukraine, and the hardship placed upon Ukraine’s people. The FSM condemns any actions which threaten global peace and stability and the rules-based international order.”
“It is often described that the preference of any Pacific Island Country, to include the FSM, is that we be friends to all, and enemies to none,” President Panuelo said. “This indeed and truly remains the cornerstone of our Nation’s foreign policy. But values and convictions must matter more than not at all, and as this Paradise in Our Backyards is founded on our Micronesian ideals of peace, unity, and liberty, so too do we advocate for these ideals to be shared and spread.”
“The Pacific Way is built on respect, where problems and disagreements are resolved through conversation and spending time getting to truly know the points of view that differ from your own and, from there, reaching a consensus. The presence of war is, on its face, the starkest demonstration of the absence of respect.”
“Ukraine has severed diplomatic relations with Russia and has called on its partners to do the same. The FSM is a partner of Ukraine and other democracies, and is taking the same step to sever diplomatic relations with the Russian Federation. The FSM is taking this concrete step as a demonstration that we stand with Ukraine and categorically reject the most blatant act of aggression in Europe since World War 2. The FSM will only entertain renewing diplomatic relations with the Russian Federation when the latter demonstrates actionable commitments to peace, friendship, cooperation, and love in our common humanity.”
“The FSM aligns itself with the international rules-based order and the rule of law. The FSM reaffirms its commitment to our first and foremost ally, the United States of America, as codified through our Compact of Free Association, as Amended. The FSM affirms its stalwart support of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the United Nations, who correctly condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The FSM supports the removal of the Russian Federation in its capacity as President of the United Nations Security Council; Russia remaining there is a façade, as they need to be upholding the international rules-based order instead of undermining it.”
The FSM’s diplomatic note sent to the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Manila can be found here: https://gov.fm/files/Official_Notification_-_Severing_of_Diplomatic_Relation_-_Russian_Federation_1.pdf
