UNITED NATIONS (HRNW) – The United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday (Oct 12) overwhelmingly condemned Russia s “attempted illegal annexation” of four partially occupied regions in Ukraine and called on all countries not to recognise the move, strengthening a diplomatic international isolation of Moscow since it invaded its neighbour.
Three-quarters of the 193-member General Assembly – 143 countries – voted in favour of a resolution that also reaffirmed the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders.
“It s amazing,” Ukraine s UN Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya told reporters after the vote as he stood next to US Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, who said the result showed Russia could not intimidate the world.
Only four countries joined Russia in voting against the resolution – Syria, Nicaragua, North Korea and Belarus. Thirty-five countries abstained from the vote, including Russia s strategic partner China, while the rest did not vote.
“Today it is Russia invading Ukraine. But tomorrow it could be another nation whose territory is violated. It could be you. You could be next. What would you expect from this chamber?” Thomas-Greenfield told the General Assembly before the vote.