When the Ukraine war broke out, Western governments were not only determined to oppose the Russian invasion but were also very optimistic about enlisting most other countries worldwide to the same objective. Russia's campaign of destruction and conquest, it was claimed, will unite the world in rejection.

For a while, this seemed to be the case. In a rare emergency session of the United Nations General Assembly to bypass the Security Council, where Russia has a veto, at least 140 out of 193 member states voted in favour of a resolution branding Russia's invasion an "aggression against Ukraine", an unprecedented result.