The United Nations General Assembly unanimously condemned Russia’s “attempted illegal annexation” of four Ukrainian regions and demanded its prompt reverse on Wednesday. They demonstrated solid worldwide opposition to the seven-month war and Moscow’s attempt to seize its neighbor’s territory.
The vote in the world body of 193 members was 143-5, with 35 abstentions. It was the General Assembly’s strongest support for Ukraine, and against Russia of the four resolutions it has approved since Russian soldiers invaded Ukraine on February 24.
Sergiy Kyslytsya, Ukraine’s UN ambassador, hailed the vote “wonderful” and “historic.” US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield stated supporters were “holding our breaths” and that the day was “historic.” Olof Skoog, the European Union’s ambassador, hailed it a “wonderful victory” that sends “a resounding message to Russia that they are and will remain isolated.”
In a statement, US President Joe Biden said the decision indicated that the world is “more united and resolute than ever to hold Russia accountable for its crimes.” He described it as “a strong message” that “Russia cannot remove a sovereign state off the map” and “cannot change boundaries by force.”
The resolution was drafted in response to Russia’s stated annexation of Ukraine’s Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia regions last month. Moscow responded in response to Kremlin-organized “referendums” that the Ukrainian government and the West have condemned as fake polls on occupied territory amid violence and dislocation.
During two days of speeches in the assembly’s renewed emergency special session on Ukraine, speaker after speaker accused Russia of violating fundamental values of the United Nations Charter – respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all U. N. member nations.