Current Events > U.N. approves a resolution demanding that Russia end the invasion of Ukraine

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://www.npr.org/2022/03/02/1083872077/u-n-set-to-hold-vote-that-would-demand-russia-end-war-in-ukraine

The United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday approved a nonbinding resolution condemning Russia for invading Ukraine and demanding that it withdraw its military forces.

The vote came after a series of speeches during which the majority of countries called on Russia to end the violence in Ukraine, which has continued for nearly one week.

Sergiy Kyslytsya, the Ukrainian ambassador to the U.N., urged countries to vote in favor of the resolution in an emotional address that ended with applause from the chamber.

"It's already clear that the goal of Russia is not an occupation only. It is genocide," Kyslytsya said.

Vassily Nebenzia, Russia's ambassador to the U.N., asked members to vote against the resolution and said Western powers were exerting pressure on other countries to vote in favor of it. Belarus and Syria were among the countries that spoke out against the resolution.

There was widespread international support for the resolution

Ultimately, the resolution passed overwhelmingly by a vote of 141-5 with 35 abstentions. The five countries that voted against it were Russia, Belarus, Syria, North Korea and Eritrea.

"The truth is that this war was one man's choice and one man alone: President Putin. It was his choice to force hundreds of thousands of people to stuff their lives into backpacks and flee the country," said U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield.

"Those were President Putin's choices. Now it is time to make ours. The United States is choosing to stand with the Ukrainian people," she added.

The measure's passage showed that "a global anti-Putin coalition has been formed and is functioning," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a tweet after the vote.

"The world is with us. The truth is on our side. Victory will be ours!" Zelenskyy added.

Russia's invasion has continued despite diplomatic pressure

The vote cameamid multiple efforts to wall off Russia diplomatically, a surge in the number of refugees fleeing Ukraine, an initial estimate that the humanitarian effort within the country will cost more than $1 billion, and an emergency, often heated debate at the General Assembly. None of the diplomatic activities appeared to slow Russia's attacks Wednesday morning, as new reports said Russian airstrikes had hit a regional police headquarters in Kharkiv, injuring three people.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, singling out Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in her speech to the General Assembly on Tuesday, said the war was based on lies.

"Mr. Lavrov, you can deceive yourself, but you won't deceive us. And you won't deceive our people and you won't deceive your own people," she said.

Russian diplomats, including Nebenzia, have called the attacks against Ukraine a "special military operation" intended to defend two separatist regions.

"Russia is seeking to end this war," Nebenzia said earlier this week.

The resolution "demands that the Russian Federation immediately, completely, and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders." It also expresses "grave concern at reports of attacks on civilian facilities such as residences, schools, and hospitals, and of civilian casualties, including women, older persons, persons with disabilities, and children."

Last week, Russia vetoed a similar resolution at the 15-member Security Council. It was mostly isolated: No other nation opposed it, and China, India and the United Arab Emirates abstained. Eleven nations, including the United States, supported it.

"No state should be able to get away with what Russia got away with without facing diplomatic isolation," Samuel Charap, a political scientist at the Rand Corp. said. "The question is, does it alter the course of the war, really? And there, it doesn't seem likely."

The United Arab Emirates assumed the rotating chair of the Security Council on Tuesday, and Lana Nusseibeh, the UAE's permanent representative to the U.N., became president of the Security Council on Monday. She said Monday that the UAE's abstention from the Security Council's resolution would not affect how it chairs the panel.

"We must leave space for a diplomatic off-ramp," she said. "Those countries that did abstain have those channels with President Putin and will use them to help."

She did not say whether the UAE would abstain from Wednesday's General Assembly vote. The United Arab Emirates did not co-sponsor the resolution.

Leaders say the war in Ukraine is creating a humanitarian crisis

Separately, the United Nations said on Tuesday it estimates the initial humanitarian and refugee needs will cost $1.7 billion. U.N. Secretary-General Antnio Guterres said humanitarian agencies need $1.1 billion to fund emergency relief within Ukraine for the next three months. He also requested another $551 million to help pay for services for Ukrainians fleeing the country, especially in Poland, Hungary, Romania and Moldova.

The money, he said, would help people access health supplies, safe drinking water, shelter and protection.

"The most effective humanitarian relief is to silence the guns," he said.

An estimated 650,000 people have fled Ukraine and entered European Union countries since Russia invaded last week. The European Commission proposed on Wednesday to allow them to stay for up to two years under a "temporary protection directive." If approved by EU member states, Ukrainians would be allowed to work and children would be allowed to attend school within the entire EU.

"All those fleeing Putin's bombs are welcome in Europe," said EC President Ursula von der Leyen.

Ukraine doesn't have nukes.

PatrickMahomes posted...

The five countries that voted against it were Russia, Belarus, Syria, North Korea and Eritrea.

something about a pikachu being surprised

mustachedmystic posted...

Ukraine doesn't have nukes.

You say that like he wouldn't try regardless.

mustachedmystic posted...

Ukraine doesn't have nukes.

It's also not run by neo-nazis, so what's your point?

ellis123 posted...

You say that like he wouldn't try regardless.

Are you saying he's so stupid that he would nuke one of his own cities, and try to blame it on Ukraine, despite the fact that he, and literally everyone else in the world knows that they don't have such weapons?

BeyondWalls posted...

It's also not run by neo-nazis, so what's your point?

I think my point is obvious, that is, he wouldn't do that.

mustachedmystic posted...

Are you saying he's so stupid that he would nuke one of his own cities, and try to blame it on Ukraine, despite the fact that he, and literally everyone else in the world knows that they don't have such weapons?

No. He'd just nuke Kyiv. He's a monstrous being that will spare no options to win.

Start by cutting them out of SWIFT entirely, stopping buying fuel from them and completely banning all non medical supply/food economic activity with Russia(however only essential foods like cereals, fruits, vegetables etc.)

Seize ALL overseas assets of any wealthy Russian citizen. Its permanent if Russia does not withdrawal in a week AND pay reparations for the damages it's done, publically admit to war crimes and have Putin and his general arrested and sent to the ICC for war crime trial . Assets will be sold and the proceeds given to Ukraine.

Hit Belarus with all of the same.

mustachedmystic posted...

Are you saying he's so stupid that he would nuke one of his own cities, and try to blame it on Ukraine, despite the fact that he, and literally everyone else in the world knows that they don't have such weapons?

I would have thought he would have been smart enough to not go for Ukraine as even leading up to it many of the reasons for why it has been a problem now were already known. Clearly I thought too highly of him before and "nukes his own country to false flag an attack from a country with no nukes" isn't exactly something that I view as much dumber than his attack on Ukraine.

Truly some elite company Russia finds itself amidst

Also, shut the fuck up about nukes. They aren't going to be used.

Fuck right back off Duncan

This will stop him.

ellis123 posted...

Clearly I thought too highly of him before and "nukes his own country to false flag an attack from a country with no nukes" isn't exactly something that I view as much dumber than his attack on Ukraine.

I'm sorry, but nuking yourself is on orders of magnitude dumber than starting an ill conceived war.

They're not usually this lopsided. What the foomy punch is Eritrea?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eritrea

"According to Human Rights Watch, the Eritrean government's human rights record is among the worst in the world".

The comments by abstaining nations are interesting.

Isn't Kyiv close enough to Moscow that the Radiation Fallout from a Nuke would affect Moscow as well along with countless cities nearby?

atmasabr posted...

What the foomy punch is Eritrea?

Eritrea is the North Korea of Africa pretty much. Always listed right alongside North Korea and Turkmenistan as the worst countries on earth because of human rights violations and garbage tier leadership.

KamenRiderBlade posted...

Isn't Kyiv close enough to Moscow that the Radiation Fallout from a Nuke would affect Moscow as well along with countless cities nearby?

That's a good point. It's certainly close enough to those newly recognized "independent" states.

atmasabr posted...

That's a good point. It's certainly close enough to those newly recognized "independent" states.

Don't forget that Russia's supposed Ally "Belarus" is literally right next door to Kyiv.

I don't think they would like the Nuclear Fallout.

[LFAQs-redacted-quote]

Because every country gets a vote.

Perfect. Let's continue asking them nicely to leave.

3PiesAndAFork posted...

Perfect. Let's continue asking them nicely to leave.

Not like they can use force, they are a nuclear superpower.

The UN is useless, no one listens to them anymore. You really think Putin is going to listen to them of all agencies.

mustachedmystic posted...

Are you saying he's so stupid that he would nuke one of his own cities, and try to blame it on Ukraine, despite the fact that he, and literally everyone else in the world knows that they don't have such weapons?

He could claim Ukraine bought or stole a nuclear device like a Bond villain or was provided one by the US/UK/France. Or if he nuked a military base of some kind that stores nuclear warheads he could claim Ukrainian operatives snuck into Russia and detonated one of their own bombs.

Sure I don't think anyone would believe him, but if he's stupid enough to nuke his own territory and try to frame it on Ukraine, he's probably stupid enough to think the world would believe it too.

PatrickMahomes posted...

The five countries that voted against it were Russia, Belarus, Syria, North Korea and Eritrea.

Color me shocked af...

geno_16 posted...

He could claim Ukraine bought or stole a nuclear device like a Bond villain or was provided one by the US/UK/France. Or if he nuked a military base of some kind that stores nuclear warheads he could claim Ukrainian operatives snuck into Russia and detonated one of their own bombs.

Or, he could claim that aliens from Alpha Centauri gave Ukraine some nukes. He could claim that Zelenskyy found a lamp, rubbed it, and when a genie came out, wished for some nuclear bombs.

Hop103 posted...

The UN is useless, no one listens to them anymore. You really think Putin is going to listen to them of all agencies.

This, sadly the UN has been toothless for a long time.

garan posted...

This, sadly the UN has been toothless for a long time.

Beyond "A long time".

Since it's inception.

Most of the time, it has no real practical ways of enforcing any rules / laws it makes.