Ukraine Adviser’s Racist Remark On India And China Creates A Big Row

By Girish Linganna

In a recent interview, Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, mentioned that he believed countries such as India and China might not have strong intellectual capabilities and might not fully think through the outcomes of their actions. Podolyak’s remarks followed just days after Ukraine’s foreign ministry called the New Delhi G20 Summit joint communiqué “nothing to be proud of”.

Soon after, Podolyak made a turnaround and claimed that his comments were misunderstood and taken out of context. He also pointed fingers at Russia, accusing them of twisting the meaning of his controversial statement. Just four days after his widely criticized comment regarding the “weak intellectual potential” of such countries as India and China, Podolyak tried to clarify his statement. He stated during an Editorial Board Summit event that he had made an error in his choice of words. He had meant to say “weak analytical potential” when assessing the strategic drawbacks of working with Russia, not “intelligence”.

He added that he had issued an apology for his words. He said he had said sorry and used “an incorrect phrase”. He explained that he was talking specifically of the “analytical component”, an “incorrect assessment of the strategic plans of India and China”, but that it still, unfortunately, supported the Russian government.

Viktor Medvedchuk, former leader of Ukraine’s Opposition Platform for Life, however, has severely criticized Podolyak for making offensive and racially charged comments about India. The Opposition Platform for Life is a political party in Ukraine. It is a political organization that represents a particular set of ideas and policies and is involved in the country’s current political landscape.

Medvedchuk believes that such statements reveal the way the country’s leaders think. Medvedchuk also mentioned that Podolyak’s controversial statement regarding India and China’s “weak intellectual potential” exposed a concerning mindset among those who tended to follow Western influence, implying that they might avoid considering their own country’s best interests.

The diplomatic problem between Ukraine and China, caused by the Podolyak comments, has shown how the Western world views others. Medvedchuk added that, sometimes, the true intentions of clever leaders become apparent through the actions of less thoughtful followers, as in this case, where he referred to the individual in question as not very bright and narrow-minded. Medvedchuk was talking about Podolyak’s shocking statement suggesting that India and China were profiting from the Ukrainian conflict while still looking after their own interests.

The politician criticized the Ukrainian presidential adviser, saying this did not just represent Podolyak’s own views, but also showed how the entire group of leaders, influenced by the United States, thinks when it comes to other nations. It reflects their main belief, which is to prioritize the interests of the United States and big multinational companies over their own country’s interests, which they often neglect.

Medvedchuk criticized the West, suggesting that external control of individuals with simplistic and limited thinking, who consider themselves intellectuals but often engage in harmful actions due to their ignorance, has been a major factor behind Ukraine’s economic struggles, conflict and even the breakdown of its statehood. Consequently, the US economy has continued to expand, NATO has become more robust and arms dealers and President Zelenskyy, who has faced corruption allegations, have benefited from the conflict and the suffering of the Ukrainian people, the leader of the Opposition Platform for Life said.

Podolyak’s comment on “weak intellectual potential” has evoked a strong negative reaction from China and sparked anger in India. Beijing went so far as to request an explanation from Kiev regarding the statement. (IPA Service)

(The author is a Defence, Aerospace & Political Analyst based in Bengaluru)