Russia’s leaders (and China’s) seek to uphold an international system that relies on the unconditional sovereignty of states and rejects the Western-inspired, humanitarian droit d’ingérence. Concerned that the Arab rebellions would radicalize their own repressed minorities, they refuse to allow the UN Security Council to be used to promote revolutionary changes in the Arab world.
俄罗斯（和中国）领导人赞成以无条件国家主前为基础的国际制度，拒绝西方提出的人道主义“干涉有理”（droit d’ingérence）说。由于担心阿拉伯起义会刺激本国被压迫的少数民族，他们拒绝接受通过联合国安理会促进阿拉伯世界的革命性变革。而叙利亚作为俄罗斯最后的冷战前哨战，将受到克里姆林宫不惜一切的捍卫。