War in Ukraine: UN General Assembly demands 'immediate withdrawal' of Russian troops
The resolution was adopted by 141 votes to 7, while 32 countries abstained.
New York, Thursday, February 23, 2023. AP - Bebeto Matthews
Text by: RFI Follow
4 mins
In this non-binding resolution adopted by a very large majority on the eve of the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the UN General Assembly also calls for a “just
and lasting
” peace.
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The non-binding resolution received 141 votes for, 7 against (Russia, Belarus, Syria, North Korea, Mali, Nicaragua, Eritrea) and 32 countries abstained, including China and India, out of the 193 member states of the United Nations.
Similar support in October, when 143 countries condemned the annexations of several Ukrainian territories by Russia, five voting against.
The adopted resolution reaffirms the “
commitment
” to
the “territorial integrity of Ukraine
” and “
demands
” that Russia “
immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all its military forces from Ukrainian territory within internationally recognized borders of the country
", a reference to the territories annexed by Russia.
It also calls for a "
cessation of hostilities
" and "
stresses the need to achieve, as soon as possible, a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Charter"
.
“
Not just a piece of paper
”
For a year, while Russia has been using its right of veto to prevent any action in the Security Council on Ukraine, the General Assembly has taken over on this issue.
And even if its resolutions are non-binding, "
it's not just a piece of paper
", defended the head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell on Thursday, seeing it as a reflection of the concerns of the international community.
Since Wednesday, representatives of dozens of countries have marched to the UN rostrum in support of Ukraine, while Kyiv has urged members of the international community to choose between "good and evil
"
.
"
In a year, we must not meet to mark the second anniversary of this absurd war of aggression
," said Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, hoping instead for a "
summit for peace
" in 2024. But “
Russia shows no desire for peace (...).
She knows no peace except that of silence, of the dead, and of ruins
, ”warned her French counterpart Catherine Colonna.
A "
path to peace
" which is nevertheless "
very clear
": "
Russia must stop bombing
", insisted the head of German diplomacy Annalena Baerbock.
“
It is not peace when an aggressor asks his victim to give up
”.
On Wednesday, at the opening of this special session, UN Secretary General
Antonio Guterres castigated him "
the affront to our collective conscience
"
represented by the invasion of Ukraine.
"
The possible consequences of the escalation of the conflict are a clear danger and already there
," he warned, referring in particular to nuclear risks.
“
Global War
”
But President Vladimir Putin vowed this week to "
methodically
" continue his offensive in Ukraine, in a speech with anti-Western rhetoric reminiscent of the Cold War.
Its ambassador to the UN Vassili Nebenzia also attacked Westerners, accusing them, "
in their desire to inflict defeat on Russia
", of being "
ready to plunge the whole world into the abyss of war.
".
This war is not a question “
of the West against Russia
”, replied Josep Borrell.
"
This illegal war affects everyone: North, South, East and West
."
It is even a "
global war
",
“, he commented, highlighting the cascading impacts on the entire planet.
In this context, China, which once again abstained, promised to make public this week
a “
political solution
” of which it presented elements to Kiev and Moscow
.
"
Wars have no winners
," Chinese Deputy Ambassador to the UN Dai Bing said.
"
A year after the start of the Ukrainian crisis, the hard facts prove that sending weapons will not bring peace
," he added, calling on Kyiv and Moscow "to resume dialogue as quickly as possible."
The three previous resolutions linked to Russian aggression passed by the General Assembly over the past year had received between 140 and 143 votes in favour, with a handful of countries systematically voting against (Russia, Belarus, Syria, North Korea) and less than 40 abstaining.
A slightly different fourth in April, which suspended Russia from the Human Rights Council, was less consensual (93 votes for, 24 against, 58 abstentions).
(
With
AFP)
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