UN General Assembly Demands Russia End Ukraine War

Textual content dimensions

Provides quotes, history

The United Nations Standard Assembly on Thursday adopted by an overpowering the vast majority a non-binding resolution that demands an fast halt to Russia’s war in Ukraine.

At the world body’s headquarters in New York, 140 countries voted in favor, 38 abstained and just five opposed the measure, with applause ringing out afterward.

The vote arrived soon after the adoption of a equivalent non-binding resolution on March 2 that demanded Russia right away stop its use of force — a vote that was authorized by practically the similar margin.

Ukraine place forward the new resolution, initially organized by France and Mexico and addressing the “humanitarian repercussions” of Moscow’s invasion of its neighbor, on Wednesday at an crisis session of the Basic Assembly.

A competing text by South Africa, which in no way mentioned Russia by title, acquired 50 votes for, 67 against and 36 abstentions, and was hence not adopted.

The authorised resolution names Moscow and “demands an instant cessation of the hostilities by the Russian Federation against Ukraine, in individual of any assaults towards civilians and civilian objects.”

The similar 5 nations voted against the resolution Thursday and March 2: Russia, Syria, North Korea, Belarus and Eritrea.

The US ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, welcomed the “strong bulk” supporting the resolution.

The countries built obvious that “Russia bears sole duty for the grave humanitarian crisis and violence in Ukraine,” she explained.

“As President Biden has said plainly, (Russia’s president) Vladimir Putin will not see victory in Ukraine. And we read today that he will not see it right here in New York either.”

France’s UN envoy Nicolas de Riviere, talking on behalf of the European Union, praised the resolution as a “extremely strong signal” despatched by the Typical Assembly which “recalls the urgency of putting an end to the humanitarian disaster” and which asks Russia to halt its aggression devoid of delay.

President Joe Biden and his Western counterparts gathered Thursday in Brussels for NATO, G7 and EU summits, with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky also collaborating by videolink.

On Wednesday Russia submitted a resolution to the UN Safety Council on the “humanitarian problem” in Ukraine, but it was not adopted.

Moscow ally China, which has yet to condemn the invasion, joined Russia in voting in favor. But the Security Council’s 13 other member states pointedly abstained in solidarity around what diplomats mentioned was the text’s unacceptable foundation.

Earlier this week UN Secretary Normal Antonio Guterres delivered a slicing assessment of the invasion, contacting the war “unwinnable” for Russia.