UN in vote says Ukraine cannot be divided, on anniversary of Russia’s invasion
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The UN vote was seen as a test of solidarity with Ukraine on the fourth anniversary of Russia’s Feb 24, 2022, invasion.
PHOTO: AFP
- The UN General Assembly adopted a motion on Feb 24, supporting Ukraine's borders and expressing concern over Russian attacks, with 107 in favour.
- Many nations, including Norway, condemned Russia's violations at the Human Rights Council, with European diplomats walking out of a Russian ambassador's speech.
- Russia cited demilitarisation and NATO expansion for its invasion, while Kyiv and allies deny posing a threat, accusing Russia of a 'land-grab'.
AI generated
NEW YORK/GENEVA - The UN General Assembly adopted by a wide margin on Feb 24 a motion supporting Ukraine, backing its international borders and voicing concern over intensifying Russian attacks on civilians and critical energy infrastructure.
The vote by the assembly, which has repeatedly supported Ukraine, passed with 107 in favour; 12 against; and 51 abstentions, and was seen as a test of solidarity with Ukraine on the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion.
A breakdown of voting on the resolution, which is not legally binding but carries political weight, showed that Russia, Belarus and Sudan were among the opponents while China and the United States abstained.
The 15-member Security Council has been deadlocked throughout the war and unable to take action on Ukraine because Russia holds a veto.
President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged allies from Kyiv to maintain their support as divisions among European partners over a fresh package of sanctions against Moscow overshadowed commemorations of the start of the conflict.
But, in another sign of support at the UN, dozens of countries including France, Britain, Canada, Japan and Peru gathered to condemn Russia’s violations at a meeting on the sidelines of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
“What Russia has done and is doing in Ukraine right now is violating every principle in the book,” Mr Espen Barth Eide, Norway’s foreign minister, told the meeting.
“Everything the UN stands for is being violated,” he added, ending his speech with “Glory to Ukraine!”.
A group of mostly European diplomats also walked out of a meeting of the Conference on Disarmament during a speech by Russian ambassador Gennady Gatilov in Geneva. They gathered outside, holding the Ukrainian flag and wearing sashes in the national colours.
The US did not appear to have sent a representative.
Russia has given various reasons for sending troops into its neighbour, including needing to “demilitarise” Ukraine and respond to the US-led NATO alliance’s eastward expansion in the years since the Soviet Union collapsed.
Kyiv and its Western allies deny posing a threat to Russia, which they accuse of staging a land-grab. REUTERS
