“Enough is enough,” declared UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, speaking to the UN General Assembly (UNGA) after hearing a resolution condemning Russia’s aggression on Ukraine and calling for an immediate cease of hostilities and Russian military withdrawal from Ukrainian territory.
Mr. Guterres stated, “The fighting in Ukraine must end.” “We are witnessing not only a tragedy in Ukraine but also a massive regional crisis with possibly catastrophic consequences for all of us.”
Mr. Guterres said the “mere idea of a nuclear conflict is simply inconceivable,” adding that “nothing can justify the use of nuclear weapons,” referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decision to raise the alert level for Russian nuclear weapons and Belarus President Lukashenko’s decision to reverse his country’s non-nuclear status.
Russia and Ukraine sparred at UNGA session
The delegates of Ukraine and Russia sparred shortly after Mr. Guterres spoke at the session, which was presided over by President of the General Assembly and Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdullah Shahid. Sergiy Kyslytsya, Ukraine’s UN Ambassador, termed Russia’s actions and nuclear announcement “madness,” and warned that “if Ukraine does not survive, neither will the UN.”
Vassily Nebenzia, Russia’s UN Ambassador, claimed that Ukraine, not Russia, had started “these hostilities,” alleging that the Ukrainian government had sown the “roots of the issue” by failing to implement the 2015 Minsk accord.
The UN Security Council (UNSC) mandated the resolution on Ukraine, which is being debated at the UNGA’s Eleventh Emergency Special Session after the Russian representative vetoed a US-led move to censure Russia at the UNSC in resolution 8979. India, China, and the United Arab Emirates had all voted no in that poll.
India is most likely to abstain
India is widely anticipated to vote no on the UNGA resolution, which is a much harder and longer version of UNSC 8979, though authorities have stressed they will make a final decision depending on the content. India, on the other hand, maybe more inclined to support a resolution on ensuring humanitarian access for civilians and refugees that will be debated at the UN Security Council on Monday night, according to diplomats. The administration has stated that the safety of Indian citizens escaping Ukraine’s unrest is its “topmost” concern.
After over 100 speakers, including India, have made their views, the UNGA resolution is anticipated to be voted on Tuesday. If enacted, the UNGA would “deplore in the greatest terms” Russian “aggression” against Ukraine, demand a total withdrawal of troops, and reverse Russia’s decision to recognize the enclaves of Donetsk and Luhansk, according to a draught distributed before the meeting. It also calls for an early resumption of discussions, as well as for all parties to provide and facilitate “rapid, safe, and unfettered” access to humanitarian aid for all civilians.