International Order and Latin American Reticent Support for Ukraine

Abstract

Latin America has promoted the nonintervention principle as a fundamental tenet of the international order. The region defends this principle to prevent abuses of force by great powers. Why, then, have Latin American governments been reticent to support Ukraine against the ongoing Russian invasion? The Latin American reactions to the Russian invasion do not represent a normalisation of aggression or a rejection of the international order. The Latin American responses are anchored in two regional approaches to the international order favouring nonintervention: republicanism promotes collective responses while pluralism defends non‐Western values. If the West wants to win more Latin American support for Ukraine, it is necessary to disentangle supporting Ukraine and defending the international order.