The United Nations General Assembly votes in favor of a United States- and Albania-drafted anti-Russian resolution, which had failed to gain traction at the UN Security Council.
The Assembly adopted the resolution on Wednesday, with 141 votes in favor, five negative votes, and 35 abstentions.
The resolution “deplores” Russia’s ongoing military operation in Ukraine, demanding that Moscow stop fighting and withdraw its military forces.
Last Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “special military operation” aimed at “demilitarization” of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions in eastern Ukraine.
In 2014, the regions declared themselves new republics, refusing to recognize Ukraine’s Western-backed government.
More than 14,000 people have been killed so far across the regions as a result of the conflict that ensued between the Ukrainian military and the rebels.
Announcing the operation, Putin said the mission was aimed at “defending people who for eight years are suffering persecution and genocide by the Kiev regime.”
Addressing the Assembly, Russia’s UN envoy Vassily Nebenzia rejected allegations that Moscow was targeting civilians in Ukraine. He blasted Western governments for pressuring the Assembly’s members to pass the resolution.
Nebenzia also said Ukrainian forces were using civilians as human shields and deploying heavy weapons in residential areas.
Elaborating on China’s abstention, Beijing’s envoy Zhang Jun said the resolution did not undergo “full consultations with the whole membership” of the Assembly.
“Nor does it take full consideration of the history and complexity of the current crisis. It does not highlight the importance of the principle of indivisible security, or the urgency of promoting political settlement and stepping up diplomatic efforts,” he said. “These are not in line with China’s consistent positions.”
A day after the Russian president announced the operation, the Security Council put the same resolution to vote, but Russia used its veto power against it.
Any negative vote, known as veto, from the Council’s five permanent members can lead to any given resolution’s failure.
Source: Agencies (edited by Al-Manar English Website)
