After more than two days of discussions, the extraordinary general assembly of the United Nations (UN) adopted by a large majority a resolution condemning the aggression of Russia against Ukraine.
Russians and Ukrainians will resume their talks this Thursday in Belarus to discuss a possible ceasefire.
The majority of delegates from the 193 member countries of the UN greeted the adoption with a round of applause after the resolution condemning the aggression passed.
Meeting in an extraordinary general assembly since Monday, a first in 40 years, the representatives voted in favor of the text by a large majority.
In total, 141 countries supported the text, 35, including the Chinese representative, abstained and 5 voted against, namely North Korea, Eritrea, Syria, Russia and Belarus.
The resolution, entitled “Aggression against Ukraine,” punctuating more than two days of interventions at the United Nations, calls on Moscow to “immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all its military forces” from Ukraine.
It additionally “condemns Russia’s decision to increase the alert status of its nuclear forces.”
Led by the European Union in coordination with Ukraine, the text, which had about a hundred co-sponsors, “deplores in the strongest terms the aggression of Russia against Ukraine” and affirms “its commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity” of this country, including “its territorial waters.”
The endorsed text is identical to a draft resolution vetoed by Russia at the 15-member Security Council on Friday.
Moments earlier, at the podium, the Ukrainian ambassador to the UN, Sergiy Kyslytsya, had denounced an ongoing “genocide” in his country, perpetrated by Russia.
The day before, the German Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock, had ardently pushed for the adoption of the text, arguing that “Russia’s war marks a new reality, it requires that each of us take a firm and responsible decision and take sides.”
The fact remains that this resolution is not binding even if it increases the political pressure on Russia. In London, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson accused Russia on of being guilty of “war crimes” in Ukraine because of the weapons used against civilians and called on the UN to “demand” a Russian withdrawal.
But diplomatic activity will continue as Russia continues its military offensive. A ceasefire in Ukraine will be discussed during the talks scheduled for this Thursday, said the Russian side.
The European Union has decided to organize an extraordinary meeting of its foreign ministers in Brussels with their American, Ukrainian, British and Canadian counterparts on Friday about the crisis.
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