Hector Bellerin says "it's racist" Russia-Ukraine War gets more attention

Hector Bellerin believes it's "racist" to ignore other ongoing conflicts amid the West's condemnation of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Vladimir Putin ordered his troops to enter neighbouring Ukraine - a sovereign state - exactly one month ago, causing a humanitarian crisis in eastern Europe. Thousands have already died as a result of the war, which has received wide media coverage in Europe.

Football has united against the conflict in Ukraine, with UEFA and FIFA banning Russia's national team and clubs from entering international competitions. The Premier League and many other sporting competitions have displayed anti-war messages at games.

The Russia-Ukraine War is not the only major conflict raging in 2022. There is an ongoing civil war in Yemen between a Saudi-backed coalition and a rebel group called the Houthis. The UN fear more than 377,000 have died as a result, many due to hunger.

The Syrian War between Bashar al-Assad's government and opposition forces is also ongoing. The UN confirmed at least 350,209 civilians had died due to the conflict in March 2011, although the real figure is predicted to be significantly higher.

There are other conflicts, too, such as the dispute between Israelis and Palestinians. At least 225 people died after an 11-day conflict between the two in May 2021. And there is an ongoing civil war in Ethiopia between the government and regional forces in Tigray.

Bellerin, who is currently on loan at Spanish outfit Real Betis from Arsenal, believes these conflicts should receive just as much attention as the Russia-Ukraine War - questioning whether subconscious or overt racism is at play.

"It is quite difficult to see that we are more interested in this war than in others," Bellerin told La Media Inglesa. "I don't know if it is because they are more like us or because the conflict can affect us more directly both economically and in terms of refugees."

Bellerin went on to say: "The Palestinian war has been completely silenced, no one speaks about it. Yemen, Iraq… now Russia not being able to play in the World Cup is something that other countries have faced for many years.

"It's racist to have turned a blind eye to other conflicts and now to have this position. It also reflects a lack of empathy for the number of lives lost in many conflicts and we are prioritising those that are near to us."

There are other reasons why people in certain countries - such as the UK - have shown a greater opposition to the Russia-Ukraine War, one of the main being it's location. Russia's invasion of Ukraine is the biggest conflict in Europe since the Second World War.

There's also the looming threat of a war between Russia and NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) forces, which could culminate in a catastrophic nuclear conflict. The UK and the USA are part of NATO, as are several counties that border Russia.