UN Reject Russia's Call To Hold Secret Ballot On Whether To Condemn Annexation Of Ukraine's Regions
The United Nations General Assembly voted on Monday to reject Russia’s call for the 193-member body to hold a secret ballot later this week on whether to condemn Moscow’s move to annex four partially occupied regions in Ukraine.
Reuters reported that 107 countries voted for a public vote, 13 voted for a secret ballot, another 39 abstained and the remaining, including Russia and China, did not vote.
Diplomats said the vote on the resolution would likely be on Wednesday or Thursday.
Russia had argued that Western lobbying meant that “it may be very difficult if positions are expressed publicly.”
Moscow annexed four partially occupied regions in Ukraine, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, after staging referendums described by Ukraine and its allies as illegal, a sham and coercive.
The draft U.N. General Assembly resolution calls on states not to recognize Russia’s move and reaffirms the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.
Ukraine’s U.N. Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya called on countries to defend the principles of the founding U.N. Charter saying the scenario is similar to what happened in Syria.
Meanwhile, Russia rained cruise missiles on busy Ukrainian cities on Monday in what the United States called “horrific strikes”, killing civilians and knocking out power and heat with its most widespread air attacks since the start of the war more than seven months ago.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken pressed the international community earlier on Monday to make clear that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions were “completely unacceptable.”
Russia vetoed a similar resolution in the 15-member Security Council last month.
Developments at the United Nations reflect what happened in 2014 after Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimea. At the Security Council, Russia vetoed a draft resolution that opposed a referendum on the status of Crimea and urged countries not to recognize it.
The General Assembly then adopted a resolution declaring the referendum invalid with 100 votes in favour, 11 against and 58 formal abstentions, while two dozen countries didn’t take part.
