The United Nations Security Council rejected a draft resolution by Russia that drew attention to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine but made no mention of its role as an aggressor, with China casting the only vote of support for the vague text, which drew harsh criticism from other delegates.
Wednesday’s session in New York came as the war in Ukraine entered its 29th day. The motion called for the protection of civilians and humanitarian corridors, but members of the council saw it as an attempt by Moscow to absolve itself of responsibility for the sharp escalation of the conflict.
Russia needed at least nine yes votes and no veto for the draft to pass. Permanent members France, Great Britain and the United States abstained, as did the remaining non-permanent members Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana, India, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico, Norway and the United Arab Emirates.
Zhang Jun, the ambassador from China who sided with Russia in casting the only “yes” votes, framed his support by emphasizing the need to address the crisis with consensus on humanitarian grounds, even if political differences remain. He does not deviate from Beijing’s position of not calling the campaign a war or an invasion, nor does he mention Russia’s role as the initiator of the conflict.
Members of the United Nations Security Council vote on a draft resolution tabled by Russia at the United Nations headquarters in New York City on March 23, 2022. The Security Council rejected the draft resolution that highlighted the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine without naming Russia as the aggressor. David Dee Delgado/Getty Images
“It is the international community’s common desire for an immediate ceasefire, which is also China’s strong expectation,” Zhang said. “It is regrettable that the Security Council was ultimately unable to reach the broadest possible agreement.”
Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia, who said the US and British delegations had “torpedoed” an earlier draft that Moscow also did not condemn, said the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine will only worsen if the Council does not adopt its text .
“It will allow the Ukrainian side to ignore calls for a ceasefire, which is necessary to evacuate people through humanitarian passages. Kyiv will continue to use civilians as a ‘human shield’ and, contrary to international humanitarian law, will station heavy weapons near hospitals and kindergartens,” Nebenzia said.
His view was not shared by the vast majority of other members present at the session, who also considered two competing resolutions that will be submitted to the UN General Assembly on Thursday. Both texts refer to the humanitarian catastrophe in Ukraine, but one mentions Russia’s role as an invading party, the other does not. Moscow is expected to vote for the latter.
US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the Russian delegation tried to use the Security Council vote as a cover for their actions. “It is truly unscrupulous that Russia has the audacity to present a resolution calling on the international community to resolve a humanitarian crisis that Russia alone caused,” she said.
“Russia is the aggressor, the attacker, the invader – the only party in Ukraine engaged in a brutal campaign against the Ukrainian people – and they want us to pass a resolution that does not recognize their guilt,” Thomas said -Greenfield. whose comments were echoed by others.
in one tweet She said: “The Security Council speaks many languages, but tonight we sent a unified message on Russia’s absurd resolution. Russia must end its attacks on Ukraine now.”
“Pointless”
“spineless”
“Useless”
“Sarcasm”
“Reprehensible”
The Security Council speaks many languages, but tonight we sent a unified message on Russia’s absurd resolution. Russia must end its attacks on Ukraine now.
— Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield (@USAmbUN) March 24, 2022
Ferit Hoxha, Albania’s Permanent Representative, was equally scathing, saying Russia need not propose a resolution for a ceasefire that it can achieve itself. “We did not fall for such a trap, we did not accept such mockery.
“Russia is the one and only cause of this horrible humanitarian situation that it created out of its obsession. It cannot share that responsibility with the victim, Ukraine, or anyone else,” Hoxha said.
Meanwhile, Ghana’s Ambassador Harold Agyeman offered comments, drawing on the credible voice of other UN member states, which had already condemned Russia earlier in March and called for a full withdrawal of its forces from Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders.
Ghana did not believe that Russia’s resolution “conforms to the firm position of the international community on the cause of this humanitarian catastrophe or the call for an immediate and unconditional cessation of hostilities,” Agyeman said. He was referring to the March 2 vote in the UN General Assembly, in which 141 nations voted to censure Russia for invading Ukraine and 35 countries, including China, abstained. Russia, Belarus, North Korea, Syria and Eritrea voted against.
Barbara Woodward, the British Ambassador to the United Nations, told reporters the text presented by Moscow was a “cynical attempt by Russia to exploit the crisis they have created”.
“Their resolution called for respect for international humanitarian law, but overlooked the fact that they are committing war crimes. Their resolution called for the protection of women and children, but overlooked the fact that they had bombed the Mariupol hospital and the Mariupol theater,” she said.
“Your resolution didn’t ask for the only thing that would work, which was that Russia must stop its invasion of Ukraine,” Woodward said.
The UN refugee agency estimates that more than 3.5 million of Ukraine’s 44 million people have fled the country since Russian bombing began on February 24. Another 6.5 million were internally displaced by the war, meaning one in four people was uprooted by the conflict.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said 100,000 people in the besieged city of Mariupol were left without food, water or electricity. Local authorities estimate that more than 2,400 civilians have died in the past month.