The government of Cuba again abstained in a vote at the UN General Assembly calling for an “immediate end” to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and from “all attacks on civilians and civilian objects”.
The resolution, adopted with 140 votes in favour, 5 against and 38 abstentions, including Cuba, is the second resolution by the international community on this issue in less than a month. It was presented by Ukraine and promoted by Mexico and France.
Belarus, North Korea, Eritrea, Syria and Russia voted against of the document, as they did in the first resolution adopted on March 2nd.
China, Bolivia, Cuba, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Iran were some of the 38 countries that abstained. this time.
A second resolution proposed by South Africa on the humanitarian situation of millions of displaced Ukrainians, the text of which made no mention of Russia, was defeated by 67 votes to 50, with 36 abstentions.
Ukraine’s Ambassador to the United Nations Sergiy Kyslytsya tried to avoid a vote on the second resolution because, unlike the first, the text “was never the result of consultations with Ukraine or regional consultations”.
This is the second consecutive defeat that Russia has suffered, after the day before a resolution presented by Moscow, also on the humanitarian situation, was rejected in the Security Councilwhich received only positive votes from the representatives of Russia and China, while the remaining 13 members abstained.
On March 2, 141 countries voted in a historic decision to pass another resolution condemning the Russian invasion 35 abstentions (including China, Cuba, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Bolivia, India, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan and Pakistan) and 5 votes against (North Korea, Syria, Belarus, Eritrea and Russia itself).
On this occasion, Havana’s position contrasted with its open support for Russia after the invasiona position that has become more ambiguous, with calls to avoid violence to resolve conflicts and to return to negotiations.
In fact, the governments of Cuba, along with Russia, Venezuela, China and Eritrea, were the only governments to vote against holding the emergency General Assembly session on March 2 after a similar vote in the Security Council failed, expressing their condemnation of the invasion Moscow to Ukraine.
Although the result of the vote is not bindingSo Russia is under no obligation to comply it shows the international concert repelling the invasion.