In a picture-perfect illustration of the isolation of Russia under Vladimir Putin, only 4 of the 193 United Nations members countries – Belarus, Eritrea, North Korea, Syria – supported the country in a UNGA vote on Wednesday night asking it to immediately withdraw from Ukraine.
Following the over two days-long extraordinary debate, during which the Ukrainian ambassador has accused Russia of genocide, 141 out of 193 UN members voted for the non-binding resolution.
Underscoring that the world does not have a moment to lose, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres demanded the hostilities in Ukraine to end now, which UNGA had said in a loud and clear voice and warned that the situation could get much worse.
Only 5 countries – Russia, Syria, North Korea, Eritrea, and Belarus -supported the resolution while 35 abstained including China, Cuba, India, and Iran, and 12 were absent.
Stressing that the unprecedented global unity in condemning the invasion shows the extent of global outrage at Russia’s horrific assault on a sovereign neighbor, US President Joe Biden praised the decision of UNGA.
Accusing Russia of devastating abuses of human rights and the international humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, Biden said in a statement later Wednesday that the world is rejecting Russia’s lies.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed his appreciation for the global support of the UNGA in a tweet, pointing out that the countries that have supported the resolution have chosen the right side of history and that it shows that the truth is on Ukraine’s side.
After it failed last week to secure a resolution against the invasion of Ukraine at the UNSC – Russia used its veto power to block the move – the US turned to the UNGA which used a special emergency mechanism “uniting for peace” designed to allow it skirt the UNSC.
UNGA has involved this mechanism only 11 times -including now- since the UN was founded in 1945.
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