The UN General Assembly has passed a resolution condemning Russia's aggression in Ukraine. News Voice of America.
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| Representatives of UN member states stand and applaud after the UN General Assembly passed a resolution condemning Russia's aggression. |
The UN General Assembly strongly condemned Russia's attack on Ukraine on Wednesday, local time in Russia, and called for the immediate withdrawal of all Russian troops.
The United Nations General Assembly has called for a referendum on unity for peace, about a week after Moscow's military launched airstrikes and airstrikes on several Ukrainian cities. Of the 193 member states of the General Assembly, 181 took part in the vote. Of these, 141 countries support Moscow's condemnation motion. Russia and its allies, including Belarus, Syria, North Korea and Eritrea, opposed the proposal. Besides, 35 countries including Bangladesh abstained from voting. However, it did not affect the two-thirds majority required for a condemnation motion.
Some countries traditionally allied with Moscow, including China, Iran, Nicaragua, Cuba and Pakistan, abstained. However, Russia also had some supporters.
"This vote is undoubtedly a strong message for the Russian Federation," Sergey Kislitsa, Ukraine's ambassador to the United Nations, told reporters after the vote.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters: "The message of the General Assembly is strong and clear: end hostilities in Ukraine and that is it. Put down the gun — now. Open the door to dialogue and diplomacy — now. "
"The Russian government is becoming increasingly isolated," said Olof Skoog, the EU's ambassador to Europe. The whole world says it must immediately stop aggression, withdraw its troops and abide by the terms of the UN Charter. Russia has chosen aggression. And the world has chosen peace. "
From Kyiv, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed the vote in the General Assembly on Twitter. He thanked those who voted for Ukraine and said that they had chosen the "right path of history". US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield called on countries to vote in favour of the resolution before the vote.
Although the General Assembly has historically been divided into many issues. Following the UN meetings, the Security Council has reportedly called for unity for peace 12 times since its adoption in 1950. The last call was made 40 years ago, in 1982, concerning Israel.
