Most of the world's countries have not sent aid to Ukraine or joined Western countries' sanctions against Russia, although Western governments have given their people the impression there is a united global objection to Russia's "special military operation," the New York Times reported.

"Most of the world's 195 countries have not shipped aid to Ukraine or joined in sanctions. A handful have actively supported Russia. Far more occupy the 'messy middle'...  taking neither Ukraine's nor Russia's side," Carisa Nietsche of the Center for a New American Security was quoted as saying on Monday.

"We live in a bubble, here in the U.S. and Europe, where we think the very stark moral and geopolitical stakes, and framework of what we're seeing unfolding, is a universal cause," Barry Pavel, a senior vice president at the Atlantic Council was quoted as saying. "Actually, most of the governments of the world are not with us."

India joined 34 other countries in abstaining from the UN vote that condemned Russia's "special military operation" in Ukraine, the news outlet reported.

Similar choices were made by several Latin American, Southeast Asian and African countries, it continued, adding that Bolivia, Vietnam and nearly half of Africa's 54 countries refused to support the UN-adopted resolution condemning Russia.

"Some countries, citing the West's history of imperialism and past failures to respect human rights, have justified opposing its response to Ukraine," it said, noting that South Africa's president blamed NATO for Russia's military operation, and "its UN ambassador criticized the U.S. invasion of Iraq during a debate last month about Ukraine's humanitarian crisis."

While others, including some countries that voted to condemn Russia's military operation, accuse the West of "acting counterproductively," it said, adding that Brazil's UN ambassador has warned that "arming Ukraine and imposing sanctions on Russia risk escalating the war."

"Leaders – including in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Nicaragua – may also feel threatened by Ukraine's resistance and the West's framing of the 'invasion' as a struggle between democracy and authoritarianism," Nietsche said. 

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