International reactions to the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 shootdown

[4] Following the release of the Dutch Safety Board report on the downing, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull declared that Australia "will not be bullied by Russia" and emphasized that "those who committed this crime must answer for it."

On behalf of her government and the people of Bangladesh, she conveyed her condolences to the Malaysian Prime Minister, stating: "We pray that Almighty Allah may grant eternal peace to the departed souls and courage and fortitude to the families of the victims to bear the loss."

While the cause of the crash remained unclear, he emphasized that the Government of Canada continued "to condemn Russia’s military aggression and illegal occupation of Ukraine, which is at the root of the ongoing conflict in the region.

[21] Colombia – Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos issued a statement, saying he had instructed the embassy to the United Nations to "support any actions aimed at establishing the truth and identifying those responsible for this atrocious crime in Ukraine.

The press release concluded with the Ministry stating, "We (Colombia) join the international community in demanding that the parties involved in Ukraine allow a transparent, credible, and urgent investigation to be conducted as quickly as possible.

"[28] Denmark – Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt called for a "thorough and independent" inquiry into the incident and urged the international community to reach an agreement on how to hold the responsible parties accountable.

"[29] East Timor – President Taur Matan Ruak expressed being "shocked" over the tragedy and offered condolences to the Malaysian government, particularly to the bereaved families and the countries of the nationalities involved.

It added, "At this stage, it can be unequivocally stated that the crash is a disastrous consequence of the armed conflict in Ukraine, which breaches national and international law, as well as the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

"[38] Germany – German Chancellor Angela Merkel called for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine to allow a probe into the apparent downing of a passenger plane in the rebel-held eastern part of the country and for a swift, independent inquiry.

In light of information suggesting that the plane was allegedly shot down, the Greek leader reiterated a plea "for the peaceful resolution of the crisis in eastern Ukraine to avoid acts that could lead to an increase in tension.

In a statement, the Vatican said the Pontiff had learned "with dismay" of the tragedy involving the airplane downed in eastern Ukraine and stated that the Pope would pray for the numerous victims of the incident and their relatives.

[43] Hungary – Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said in a radio interview that the "unusual, rare, and shocking" downing of the Malaysian passenger jet over eastern Ukraine requires a thorough investigation.

[46] India – Indian President Pranab Mukherjee deeply condoled the crash of the passenger jet in eastern Ukraine and expressed grief and sympathy over the tragedy, which claimed 298 lives.

Undoubtedly, this tragedy and the immense grief that affects many nations highlight the importance of peaceful coexistence and collective action against violence and conflict, in the view of the international community.

In his statement, he said, "On behalf of the people of Laos, I would like to express my deepest condolences over the tragic accident involving Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 that crashed in eastern Ukraine on 17 July 2014, killing all 298 passengers, including 43 Malaysian citizens and crew members.

'"[62] Meanwhile, Latvian Foreign Affairs Minister Edgars Rinkēvičs banned three popular Russian musicians — Oleg Gazmanov, Joseph Kobzon and Alla Perfilova — from traveling to Latvia indefinitely.

The decision was made in accordance with the Immigration Law, and Rinkēvičs previously announced that he had decided to ban "apologists of Russian imperialism and aggression" from attending "high society" events in Latvia.

"[65] Raimonda Murmokaitė, Lithuania's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, called for respect for the memory of the victims of the MH17 catastrophe and condemned any attempts to influence or interfere with the independent investigation conducted by the Dutch Safety Board.

We convey our profound condolences for all who perished in this tragedy, and those responsible should be made fully accountable for this unconscionable assault on a non-military aircraft that posed no threat whatsoever to any party.

[94][95] Portugal – Portuguese President Aníbal Cavaco Silva sent his condolences to the families of the 298 people who lost their lives in the Malaysian aeroplane crash, as well as to all those who "suffered the pain of human loss," and to the Heads of State of the Netherlands, Malaysia, and all concerned countries.

The statement called for full cooperation and information exchange between the parties involved and emphasized that this incident reinforces the need to find a peaceful solution for the territory of eastern Ukraine and the urgency of an immediate ceasefire in the region.

He called for the immediate clarification of the circumstances surrounding the plane crash and emphasized the need for European Union experts to participate in the investigation alongside Ukrainian authorities.

Similarly, the Slovakian Foreign Ministry expressed its sincere condolences to all those affected by the tragedy and called on the relevant authorities to ensure an independent international investigation into its potential causes.

[110] Spain – Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said in a statement, "The world has a right to know who fired the missile that brought down the Malaysia Airlines plane in pro-Russian separatist territory in eastern Ukraine.

"[112] Suriname – Surinamese President Desi Bouterse sent a message of condolence to the Dutch government and expressed his sympathy for the victims and their bereaved families concerning the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17.

In a statement, he said, "I have learned with great shock and sorrow the sad news of the loss of so many lives due to the crash of a Malaysian airliner on its way from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, which occurred on Ukrainian territory on Thursday, 17th July 2014.

"[117] Thailand – The head of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), General Prayuth Chan-ocha, expressed condolences in a statement to the countries impacted by the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 crash in Ukraine.

[123] Turkmenistan – Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow sent condolences to the Malaysian Prime Minister, Dutch King, and Australian Governor-General over the plane crash, which resulted in the deaths of passengers, most of whom were citizens of these countries.

[126][127] United Arab Emirates – UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan sent a message of condolence to Malaysian King Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah regarding the tragedy.

[138] The Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through its spokesman Lê Hải Bình, said in a statement, "We are deeply saddened to hear about the crash of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, which caused massive fatalities.