By Brooke Leonard Brooke Leonard is a staff member at The Nixon Center On July 8 at the G8 summit in Toyako, Japan, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev declared his support for a statement calling for “financial and other measures against those individuals responsible for violence” in Zimbabwe. Yet just three days later, Russia vetoed a UN Security Council resolution to impose sanctions on the country, stating that its internal affairs were not a threat to international peace and security. Moscow’s apparent flip-flopping on the issue came as a shock to Western leaders. George Bush declared himself displeased and disappointed, while Zalmay Khalilzad, U.S. ambassador to the UN, remarked, “The U-turn in the Russian position is particularly surprising and disturbing.” British Foreign Secretary David Miliband called the veto simply...
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