(United Nations) The UN General Assembly of 193 states on Thursday adopted by an overwhelming majority of 140 votes a new non-binding resolution which “demands” from Russia an “immediate” end to the war in Ukraine.
Posted at 12:21 p.m.
In a vote of the General Assembly meeting since Wednesday at the United Nations headquarters in New York, 140 countries voted in favor, 38 abstained and five voted against.
A few rounds of applause rang out in the General Assembly amphitheater.
But not commensurate with the reception of a first resolution adopted on March 2 by this same Assembly.
That day, in a vote described as “historic” by the General Assembly, 141 countries had approved a first non-binding text which “demands that Russia immediately cease the use of force against the Ukrainian”. Five states, including Russia, voted against and 35 abstained.
The General Assembly therefore adopted on Thursday this text presented by Ukraine and initially prepared for weeks by France and Mexico, but also voted on a competing text presented by South Africa.
This resolution, which never mentions Russia, obtained 50 votes for, 67 against and 36 abstentions.
It was therefore not adopted.
On the contrary, the text debated since Wednesday morning and finally adopted “demands an immediate cessation of hostilities by the Russian Federation against Ukraine, in particular of all attacks against civilians and civilian objects”.
The resolution “reiterates the call of the Secretary General (of the UN Antonio Guterres, editor’s note) that the Russian Federation stop its military offensive, as well as his call for the establishment of a ceasefire and to the resumption of the path of dialogue and negotiations”.