India Abstains from UN Vote on Ukraine Resolution To End War
China and Indian abstains from UN Vote for Russia to withdraw from Ukraine war
In an unexpected move, India abstains from UN Vote for Russia to withdraw from Ukraine and end the war. As we mark one year of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the UN General Assembly voted and approved a resolution that demands Russia to withdraw from Ukraine immediately and end the hostilities.
India abstains from UN Vote: Emergency Special Session
In its resumed eleventh emergency special session, the United Nations has adopted the resolution that calls to end the Russia- Ukraine war.
The resolution was supported by 141 Member States who voted in favour, seven nations against the resolution, and thirty-two nations that abstained.
Belarus, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Eritrea, Mali, Nicaragua, Russia, and Syria voted against the resolution, whereas the abstentions included India, China, and Pakistan.
The resolution reads, “Russian Federation immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, and calls for a cessation of hostilities.”
Principle of the UN Charter
The resolution also drew attention to the principles mentioned in the UN Charter and how the war was a blatant violation of the Charter.
Article 2 of the Charter emphasizes on the obligation of all the States to “Refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State, or in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations, and to settle their international disputes by peaceful means.”
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Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine
One year ago, on February 24th, 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between the two nations.
Even one year later, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine remains unresolved, with sporadic violence continuing in the eastern region of Donbas. The invasion has caused significant human suffering and has strained relations between Russia and the international community.
Impact on Ukraine
The war dragging on for a year has inflicted severe physical, psychological, economic, and cultural damage to Ukraine.
UNCTAD, in its tweet has highlighted how the war has led to a fall in the GDP of Ukraine by almost 35%.
“The war in #Ukraine has inflicted great suffering on Ukrainians, with thousands of civilians killed, 8 million refugees & 5.4 million internally displaced.
Ukraine’s GDP fell by a staggering 35%, 10x more than during the COVID pandemic, pushing 18 million people into poverty.”
The war in #Ukraine has inflicted great suffering on Ukrainians, with thousands of civilians killed, 8 million refugees & 5.4 million internally displaced.
Ukraine’s GDP fell by a staggering 35%, 10x more than during the COVID pandemic, pushing 18 million people into poverty.🔽 pic.twitter.com/shD45LHXTd
— UNCTAD, the UN trade & development body (@UNCTAD) February 24, 2023
The implications of the war have not been limited to Ukraine alone. Food security, energy, environment, safety and economic climate around the globe has been impacted due to this.
In a meeting of the Security Council, the UN Secretary General said “Life is a living hell for the people of Ukraine.”
Dmytro Kuleb, Ukraine’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, also talked about how the war violated the UN Charter and that “Justice must be served.”
On the other hand, Vassily Nebenzia, the Russian Ambassador said, “If Russia stops hostilities, Ukraine will continue discriminating against Russian-speaking people and glorifying Nazism. If Ukraine stops hostilities, it will save many lives. Russia stands ready to negotiate for peace.”
With the war seeing no immediate end, it is impossible to say if Russia will honour the resolution and what the future will be. But, there is no denying that the war is a gross violation of human rights and is heading towards more destruction if not stopped immediately.
