US secretary of defense: Russia destroying rules-based int’l order

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has called on the international community to join forces in response to Russia’s war against Ukraine and attempts to undermine the world order.

Lloyd Austin made the remark on June 10 during a major speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Report informs referring to the website of the US Department of Defense.

“So, let’s be clear: Russia's invasion of Ukraine is what happens when oppressors trample the rules that protect us all,” the secretary continued. “It’s what happens when big powers decide that their imperial appetites matter more than the rights of their peaceful neighbors. And it’s a preview of a possible world of chaos and turmoil that none of us would want to live in.”

Russia’s war is a graphic demonstration of what happens when a nation tramples on the rules-based order, Austin said. “Let’s use this moment to come together in common purpose. Let’s use this moment to strengthen the rules-based international order,” he said. “And let’s use this moment to think about the future that we all want.”

The secretary said that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “reckless war of choice has reminded us all of the dangers of undercutting an international order rooted in rules and respect.”