The UN Security Council is paralyzed after Russia’s invasion – after all, Moscow can veto any decision. But it also shows that Putin has become lonely.
New York – As expected, a resolution against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine failed in the UN Security Council due to Moscow’s veto.
But Western diplomats still rated the vote before the most powerful UN body on Friday evening (local time) as a success in their attempt to isolate Russia internationally and drive a wedge between Moscow and Beijing. No other country agreed with Russia. China – otherwise a close UN partner of the Russians – abstained, as did India and the United Arab Emirates. 11 states approved, while over 70 other non-voting countries supported the resolution.
China’s voting behavior was interpreted as a cautious distancing from Russia. UN Ambassador Zhang Jun said at the meeting: “China is deeply concerned by the recent developments in the situation in Ukraine. Now we’re at a point we don’t want to see.” China believes that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states must be respected. However, Zhang also criticized NATO and said Moscow had legitimate security interests.
Resolution called for Russia’s withdrawal
The draft resolution, which is available to the German Press Agency, condemns Russia’s aggression “in the strongest possible terms” and reaffirms Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as its independence and unity. It demands immediate withdrawal from Russia and a return to the Minsk Agreement. The text — drafted under US leadership — said the Security Council should “resolve that the Russian Federation immediately, fully and unconditionally withdraw its armed forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders.”
Since Russia, like China, the USA, France and Great Britain, has a right of veto in the Security Council, acceptance seemed impossible from the outset. However, the United States and its Western allies hoped to be able to diplomatically isolate Moscow to a large extent. The negotiations for this lasted until the last minutes before the vote – the text was subsequently changed again to prevent China from vetoing it and to get the approval of shaky candidates. However, the latter was not achieved due to the abstentions of India and the United Arab Emirates.
China reacts cautiously
Beijing had recently been cautious, at least at the UN in New York, and had avoided defending its partner Russia. In recent years, Moscow and Beijing have regularly voted together and are seen as an alliance in the Security Council. After the failure of the resolution, the text is now to be handed over to the UN General Assembly, according to several diplomats. All 193 member states can vote there. They could adopt the resolution with a simple majority.
In his speech to the Security Council, Ukraine’s Ambassador to the UN, Serhiy Kyslytsia, once again attacked Russia and took an unusual step when he asked the panel and representatives of dozens of other countries, who were also present, to observe a minute’s silence for the victims of the war. After the meeting, US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said that while Russia could veto the resolution, “Russia cannot veto the Ukrainian people. Russia cannot veto its own people protesting this war in the streets. And Russia cannot veto the UN Charter.” dpa
#Russia #resolution #fails #China #abstains