Russia, as expected, vetoed a UN Security Council resolution on Friday that “deplores in the strongest terms” Russia’s “aggression” against Ukraine and calls for its soldiers to be withdrawn immediately. The motion, co-written by the United States and Albania, received 11 of the Council’s 15 votes in favor. China, India, and the United Arab Emirates all voted no.Â
Because of Moscow’s veto authority as a permanent council member, the resolution was always bound to fail. Nonetheless, the debate provided a significant opportunity for the chamber to express its displeasure with President Vladimir Putin’s decision to begin a full-scale operation against Russia’s neighbor.Â
After the vote, US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said, “Let me make one thing clear. Russia, you can veto this resolution, but you cannot veto our voices, you cannot veto the truth, you cannot veto our principles, you cannot veto the Ukrainian people.
” Russia, which currently holds the rotating Security Council president, will almost certainly face a vote in the UN General Assembly on a similar resolution, which may pass by a large margin but would be non-binding.Â
“Make no mistake, Russia is isolated. It has no support for the invasion of Ukraine,” said Barbara Woodward, Britain’s UN ambassador.Â
Thomas-Greenfield termed the attack “so bold, so brazen that it threatens our international system as we know it” before the vote. “We have a solemn obligation to not look away… At the very minimum, we have an obligation to object,” she said. Â
China’s attitude, which had voted with Russia in a procedural vote to oppose a discussion on Ukraine in the Council at the end of January, marked a significant turnaround. It abstained from voting on the resolution on Friday after ensuring that it was watered down from a reference to Chapter 7 of the charter — which would have opened the door to authorizing the use of force — to a reference to Chapter 6 — which is about peaceful conflict resolution. Â
China is also said to have had a part in softening the resolution. The US negotiated with China to ensure that it did not veto the resolution alongside Russia. When asked whether China could play a role in isolating Russia at a press conference on Thursday, US President Joe Biden said he was not prepared to comment.Â
Published By- Bharat Anand
Editor- Kritika Kashyap
