There have always been differences in Western policy towards the war in Chechnya, but among Western governments, at least, the differences have been in emphasis rather than substance. Thus throughout the crisis Western governments have always publicly backed Moscow's policy on Chechnya. The West has refused to recognize Chechnya's claim of independence, and has accepted Moscow's right to defend its territorial integrity, if necessary by force (jus ad bellum). On the other hand, the West has occasionally spoken out against Russia's conduct in the war and the violation of human rights by the Russian authorities (jus in bello), but it has always been reluctant to back such rhetoric with any kind of meaningful sanction. Post-9/11, the West has also become more willing to accept Moscow's argument that Russia's struggle in Chechnya has become a war against militant Islamism as much as a war against separatism. As such, Western leaders have stressed the need for an end to terrorism before any political solution might be viable.

The Western media, on the other hand, tend to portray the Chechen conflict as primarily a war of national liberation. Although rarely spelled out in these terms, the implication of much of the coverage is that the Chechen cause is just. The Chechens have been oppressed by the Russians for the last two hundred years and deserve their independence. The use of force by the Russian authorities is heavily criticized, with the media focusing in particular on the war crimes and human rights violations perpetrated by the Russian forces in Chechnya.