The UN General Assembly on Wednesday adopted a resolution that “demands that Russia immediately cease the use of force against Ukraine”, in a vote overwhelmingly approved by 141 countries, 5 opposing it, and 35 abstaining, including China, out of the 193 members of the Organization.
The result was greeted with a round of applause.
The five countries that voted against are Russia, Belarus, North Korea, Eritrea and Syria.
The resolution, punctuating more than two days of speeches at the UN rostrum, calls on Moscow to “withdraw [r] immediately, completely and unconditionally all its military forces” of Ukraine and “condemns Russia’s decision to increase the alertness of its nuclear forces”.
Steered by the European Union in coordination with Ukraine, the text, which benefited from a hundred co-sponsors, also “deplores” “in the strongest terms Russia’s aggression against Ukraine” and affirms ” its attachment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity” of that country, including “its territorial waters”.
Entitled “Aggression against Ukraine”, the resolution also calls for unhindered access to humanitarian aid – against the backdrop of arduous discussions in the Security Council on a Franco-Mexican draft resolution on the same subject – and ” deplores the involvement of Belarus” in the attack on Ukraine.
Ukraine denounces “genocide”
The Ukrainian ambassador to the UN, Sergiy Kyslytsya, had denounced just before at the UN podium an ongoing “genocide” in his country, perpetrated by Russia, urging “action” the community international not to repeat what Hitler did.
“It is already clear that Russia’s goal is not just an occupation. This is genocide,” he said. “It is easy to sign the UN Charter in peacetime. Come and sign it in time of war” after the expected vote of the General Assembly, he launched, brandishing the small blue booklet, for the 193 member countries of the Organization attending the end of his speech , punctuated by loud applause.
Russia, through the voice of its counterpart Vassily Nebenzia, defended itself from attacking civilian targets. Mr. Nebenzia reiterated that his country only wanted to “stop” the conflict in the Donbass, in eastern Ukraine. “Our objectives will be achieved,” he promised, speaking of a military “operation”, of “self-defense”.
In addition to North America and Europe, the resolution received a favorable vote from many African states and a large majority of Latin American countries, which are far from the Ukrainian theater.
For the Middle East, the United Arab Emirates, suspected of having concluded a more or less tacit agreement with Russia in exchange for a favorable vote on Monday by this country in the Security Council to designate the Yemeni Houthis as “terrorists” and extend the arms embargo to all of these rebels, voted for, breaking with a position followed since last week in the Security Council.
On the Asian continent, China’s abstention is faithful to its position adopted a week ago in the Security Council. India, a non-permanent member of this Council for more than a year and a half, and with close military relations with Russia, also abstained, despite strong pressure from the United States. Pakistan, also under strong pressure, particularly from the Europeans, for a favorable vote, abstained.
The resolution in the Assembly was inspired by a text rejected last week in the UN Security Council because of a veto posed by Russia which outraged Westerners.
Within the General Assembly, the right of veto, the privilege of the five permanent members of the Security Council (United States, Russia, China, France and United Kingdom), does not exist. Its resolutions are not legally binding like those of the Council, but they have a strong political value depending on the number of countries that approve them.
In 2014, a similar condemnation of Russia for the annexation of Crimea, which was carried out without bloodshed unlike the current invasion, obtained 100 votes in favor, 11 against, while 58 countries opposed abstained and that the rest of the 193 members had not taken part in the ballot.