United Nations:
India, along with 12 other members of the UN Security Council, abstained from voting on a Russian resolution on the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.
Russia’s motion for a resolution was co-sponsored by Syria, North Korea and Belarus. It was not passed in the Council on Wednesday because it did not get the required nine yes votes to be passed.
Russia and China voted in favor of the resolution, while no countries voted against it. India and the other members of the Security Council abstained.
Standing and vetoing Council member Russia had called for a vote in the Security Council of 15 countries on its draft resolution that “demands full protection of civilians, including humanitarian personnel and persons in vulnerable situations, including women and children, calls on to negotiated ceasefires to allow for the safe, rapid, voluntary and unimpeded evacuation of civilians, and underlines the need for the parties involved to agree humanitarian breaks to this end.”
The Russian resolution, which makes no reference to the invasion of Ukraine, calls on all parties concerned to allow safe and unimpeded passage to destinations outside Ukraine, including for foreigners, without discrimination, and to ensure safe and unimpeded access to humanitarian to facilitate assistance for those in need in and around Ukraine, taking into account the specific needs of women, girls, men and boys, the elderly and persons with disabilities.
While other members of the Council made statements after the vote on the resolution, India made no statement. India had previously abstained twice in the Security Council and once in the General Assembly on resolutions on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield tweeted that “in a united vote of protest”, 13 members of the Security Council have abstained from Russia’s farcical resolution rejecting blame for the humanitarian crisis it has caused in Ukraine .
In the explanation of vote, Thomas-Greenfield said it is truly “unreasonable” that Russia should have the audacity to table a resolution asking the international community to solve a humanitarian crisis that Russia alone has caused.
“The United States plans to abstain from voting on this text because, to put it plainly, Russia doesn’t care about the deteriorating humanitarian conditions, or the millions of lives and dreams the war has destroyed. cared, they would stop fighting.
“Russia is the aggressor, the attacker, the invader – the only party in Ukraine involved in a campaign of brutality against the people of Ukraine – and they want us to pass a resolution that does not admit their guilt,” she said.
British Ambassador Barbara Woodward said her country will not vote for a resolution, neither in the Security Council nor in the General Assembly, which does not recognize that Russia is the sole cause of this unfolding humanitarian catastrophe – and therefore the key to ending it. .
“The Russian draft called on all sides to respect international humanitarian law. It ignored that Russia is committing war crimes. The Russian draft called for the protection of civilians, including women and children. But it failed to allow Russia to bomb maternity hospitals, schools and homes Woodward said.
The Russian Security Council resolution was one of three resolutions on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine submitted to the UN General Assembly and the Security Council on Wednesday.
The UN General Assembly resumed its 11th emergency special session on Ukraine on Wednesday and had two resolutions before it for consideration. The 193-member General Assembly is expected to vote on the resolutions on Thursday.
A UNGA resolution of Ukraine and its Western allies on the “humanitarian consequences of the aggression against Ukraine” demands an immediate cessation of Russia’s hostilities against Ukraine, in particular all attacks on civilians and civilian objects. It also demands that civilians, including humanitarian personnel, journalists and those in vulnerable situations, including women and children, be fully protected.
It demands that the parties comply with their obligation to ensure safe and unimpeded humanitarian access for humanitarian personnel and their means of transport, supplies and equipment to people in need in Ukraine and its neighboring countries.
The other rival resolution that South Africa proposed, “Humanitarian situation arising from the conflict in Ukraine,” makes no mention of Russia. It calls for an immediate cessation of hostilities by “all parties” to the conflict, and encourages political dialogue, negotiations, mediation and other peaceful means aimed at achieving lasting peace.
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