The UN General Assembly on Wednesday adopted by an overwhelming majority a resolution calling for “an immediate cessation of the use of force against Ukraine”, a vote hailed as “historic” and greeted with a burst of applause. Of the 193 members, 141 countries approved the text, five – Russia, Belarus, North Korea, Eritrea and Syria – opposed, and 35 abstained, including China.
Text “Regrets most strongly on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine”
After more than two days of intervention in the UN rostrum, the resolution called on Moscow to “immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all its military forces” from Ukraine and “condemned Russia’s decision to increase the concern of its nuclear forces.”
Led by the European Union in coordination with Ukraine, the text also “regrets most” Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and reaffirms its commitment to its sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity. “The message from the General Assembly is strong and clear,” said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. “Cessation of hostilities in Ukraine – now. Open the door to dialogue and diplomacy – now.”
“Historical” vote
US President Joe Biden said the vote “revealed the isolation” of his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. “The vast majority of nations acknowledge that Putin is attacking not only Ukraine but also the very foundations of world peace and security,” he said in a statement.
For European Foreign Minister Joseph Borrell, the result of the vote was “historic”, a view shared by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, for whom “the contrast between good and evil has rarely been so striking”. Titled “Aggression against Ukraine”, the resolution also calls for unhindered access to humanitarian aid – amid persistent discussions in the Security Council on a Franco-Mexican draft resolution on the same subject – and “regrets Belarus’ involvement in the attack on Ukraine”. . In the General Assembly Hall, many countries placed plush animals with giraffes, bears or rabbits on their delegation’s table to emphasize their support for the younger generations.
Favorable vote from many African and Latin American countries
Ukraine’s ambassador to the UN, Sergei Kislitsya, had previously denounced on a UN platform that “genocide” committed by Russia was taking place in his country. “It is already clear that Russia’s goal is not just occupation. This is genocide, “he said, while US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield assured that Russia intended to use” cluster munitions “and” thermobaric weapons “banned by the Geneva Convention. His Russian counterpart, Vasily Nebenzya, argued that Russia was not targeting civilian targets and was limiting itself to protecting the population of Donbass, in the separatist east of Ukraine.
In addition to North America and Europe, the resolution benefits from the favorable vote of many African countries, but not that of abstaining South Africa, such as Algeria, the Central African Republic and Mali, two countries that are currently developing ties with Russia. . Burkina Faso, where there was a recent coup, did not vote, with Senegal surprisingly abstaining. Most Latin American countries, albeit far from the Ukrainian theater, voted in favor of the resolution.
Iran, China and India abstained
For the Middle East, the United Arab Emirates, suspected of concluding a more or less tacit agreement with Russia in exchange for a positive vote on Monday in the Security Council to identify Yemeni Hutus as “terrorists”, voted to break with , followed last week by the Council.
Iran, in negotiations on its nuclear program, in particular with Russia, abstains, a position adopted by Iraq. Saudi Arabia and Israel voted in favor of the resolution. China’s abstinence is true to its position for a week in the Security Council. India is also refraining, despite strong pressure from the United States. Pakistan, also under pressure, in particular from Europeans, to abstain.
The Assembly’s resolution was inspired by a text rejected last week by the Security Council over Russia’s veto, which outraged Westerners. Within the General Assembly, the right of veto, the privilege of the five permanent members of the Council (USA, Russia, China, France and the United Kingdom), does not exist. Its decisions are not legally binding. In 2014, a similar condemnation of Russia’s annexation of Crimea, which was carried out without bloodshed, garnered 100 votes in favor and 11 against.