Monitoring Desk
NEW YORK: The UN General Assembly approved a nonbinding resolution Thursday that calls for Moscow to end hostility in Ukraine and demands the withdrawal of its troops. The development comes on the eve of the 1st anniversary of conflict in Ukraine.
The UN General Assembly has become the most significant UN forum dealing with Ukraine as the UNSC is paralyzed by Moscow’s veto power. The UN General Assembly’s resolutions are not legally binding, but serve as a barometer of global opinion.
UN General Assembly adopts resolution asking Moscow to withdrawal troops from Ukraine
Ministers for Foreign Affairs, envoys, diplomats and ambassadors from over 75 nations addressed the General Assembly during two days of debate. Many speakers urged support for the resolution that upholds territorial integrity of Ukraine. In his own appeal, Foreign Minister of Poland Zbigniew Rau said the people of Ukraine deserve “our support and solidarity.”
German Minister for Foreign Affairs said that the West didn’t want war and would rather focus all its money and energy on fighting the climate crisis, fixing schools and strengthening social justice.
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She said that the truth is: If Moscow stops fighting, this conflict ends. If Kyiv stops fighting, Ukraine ends.”
UN-Moscow
Venezuela’s deputy envoy addressed the assembly on behalf of 16 nations that either opposed the resolution or abstained: Bolivia, Belarus, China, Cambodia, Eritrea, Cuba, Iran, Equatorial Guinea, Mali, Nicaragua, Laos, St. Vincent, North Korea, Venezuela, Syria, and Zimbabwe.
China’s deputy UN envoy Dai Bing told the General Assembly Thursday that they support Moscow and Kyiv in moving toward each other, starting direct dialogue immediately and giving an opportunity to an end of the crisis to bring peace. The envoy added that the global community should take joint efforts to facilitate peace dialogue.
However, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the victim and aggressor can’t be put on equal terms, and Kyiv cannot be asked not to defend their land.
