UN heads towards vote to condemn Russian invasion of Ukraine

The UN is likely to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with a strategy to sidestep Moscow’s Security Council veto to pave the way.

The UN Security Council was to convene early on Monday to vote on a resolution calling for a special session of the General Assembly over the Russian invasion of Ukraine, diplomats said.

Only nine of the 15 Security Council member states would need to vote in favour of the resolution for it to be adopted at the meeting, which was requested by the US and Albania and is scheduled for 3pm on Sunday (7am Monday AEDT).

Under a rarely used procedure, none of the five permanent members – one of which is Russia – would be allowed to veto the convening of the special session on Monday.

The goal of the “General ­Assembly special session” will be to “force the 193 members of the UN to take a position” on the conflict and Russia’s “violation of the UN Charter”, as well as to formally condemn the war, a diplomat speaking on condition of anonymity told Agence France-Presse.

If the proposed resolution is ­approved by the council, rules would require the special General Assembly session to be held within 24 hours.

A resolution written by the US and Albania condemning Russia’s actions in Ukraine failed in the ­Security Council on Friday due to Russia applying its permanent member veto power. Eleven of the council’s 15 members voted for the motion while China, India and the United Arab Emirates abstained.

The General Assembly is expected to vote on a similar resolution at some point following the special session.

Multiple diplomats said they expect a majority, with more than 100 UN members to vote in favour of the resolution.

In General Assembly voting, none of the 193 UN members hold a veto, but resolutions are non-binding.

Due to the situation in Ukraine, UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres has scrapped a trip to ­Geneva to address the Human Rights Council on Monday and will instead remain in New York, spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.

The General Assembly held a similar vote in 2014 condemning Russia’s seizure of Crimea,

which obtained 100 votes in support.

Moscow had earlier vetoed a ­Security Council resolution condemning its actions in Crimea. Thirteen countries supported it, with China abstaining.

Friday’s resolution was always doomed to fail because of Moscow’s veto power as a permanent member of the council.

However, the debate offered member nations an opportunity to voice condemnation of President Vladimir Putin’s decision to launch a full-scale offensive against Russia’s neighbour.

“Let me make one thing clear,” US ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said after the vote.

“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.”

The wording of the draft text put before the Security Council was watered down in the hours ­before the vote to gain more support.

The word “condemns” was replaced by “deplores” and a reference to Chapter 7 of the UN Charter, which allows members to take military action to restore peace, was deleted.

The resolution reaffirmed the sovereignty of Ukraine and called for Russia to “immediately cease its use of force against Ukraine”.

Ultimately, more than 70 countries co-sponsored the resolution.

“Make no mistake, Russia is isolated. It has no support for the invasion of Ukraine,” said Britain’s ambassador to the UN, Barbara Woodward.

Moscow’s UN envoy, Vassily Nebenzia, denounced the resolution as “anti-Russian and anti-Ukrainian”.

“It is difficult for us to compete with the US in terms of the number of invasions carried out. You are in no position to moralise,” he said.

Ukrainian ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya led the council chamber in a moment of silence, asking members to “pray for peace”.

He also told Mr Nebenzia to “pray for salvation”.

“Russia is keen on continuing it’s Nazi-style course of action,” said Mr Kyslytsya, whose speech was widely applauded by members.

Explaining his country’s ­abstention, Chinese ambassador Zhang Jun referenced NATO’s ­expansion, saying “Russia’s legitimate security aspirations should be given attention and addressed properly”.

AFP