UN meeting after Russia’s attack in Ukraine

The United Nations called an urgent meeting to discuss Russia’s declared annexation of the four partially occupied Ukrainian territories, but the debate was set to be overshadowed. attack on kiev and one of the most punitive attacks on Ukraine in months in other cities.

Russian President Vladimir Putin The Kremlin has vowed an even more “severe” retaliation after a recent explosion that damaged a major bridge in Crimea connecting Moscow – an attack the Kremlin has accused Kyiv of.

His spokesman said that ahead of the General Assembly session, and at the height of tensions, UN chief Antonio Guterres described Russia’s attacks as an “unacceptable escalation of war”.

US President Joe Biden meanwhile strongly condemned the attacks, saying they “demonstrate the absolute brutality” of Putin’s “illegal war”.

“The United States strongly condemns Russia’s missile attacks in Ukraine today,” he said in a statement.

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With Putin’s actions in the spotlight, UN debate will begin on a draft resolution widely seen in the West as Russia’s illegal occupation of Ukrainian land.

The decision to bring the merger matter before the General Assembly, where the 193 members of the United Nations have a one-vote vote – and no one uses veto power – to block a similar proposal by Russia on 30 September Security It was taken after exercising his veto at a council meeting. ,

The vote is expected no earlier than Wednesday.

“This is extremely important,” said Olof Skog, who, as the EU’s ambassador to the world body, drafted the text in collaboration with Ukraine and other countries.

The Swedish diplomat told reporters, “the international community will be in “a very, very bad place”, “unless the United Nations system and the international community react to such an illegal attempt through the General Assembly.”

The failure by the General Assembly to act “would give carte blanche to other countries to do the same or to recognize what Russia has done,” he said.

A resolution draft seen by AFP condemns Russia’s “illegal attempt” to annex the Ukrainian territories of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhya and Kherson after a “so-called referendum” and stresses that these actions should be treated “in accordance with international law”. has no validity under it.”

It calls on all states, international organizations and agencies not to recognize the contracts, and calls for the immediate withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine.

In response to the resolution, Russia wrote to all member states in a letter attacking “Western delegations” whose actions “have nothing to do with international law and the protection of the principles of the United Nations Charter.”

“They pursue only their own geopolitical objectives,” said the letter signed by Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzia.

Nebenzia said that given the circumstances, the General Assembly should vote by secret ballot – a highly unusual procedure normally reserved for matters such as the election of rotating members of the Security Council.

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“If Russia is trying to obscure the vote count, it doesn’t suggest a high degree of confidence in the result,” a senior official in US President Joe Biden’s administration told reporters. “It suggests a little frustration.”

He added that Guterres categorically condemned himself as being “against everything to stand up for the international community”.

“It has no place in the modern world. It should not be accepted.”

During the Security Council vote last month, no other country sided with Russia, although four delegations – China, India, Brazil and Gabon – did not participate.

Some developing countries have complained that the West is focusing all of its attention on Ukraine, and others may be tempted to join them this week.

The vote will give a clear picture of how isolated Russia has become. Given the high stakes, supporters of the draft are doing everything possible to win over potential avoiders.

On Monday, Ukrainian diplomat Dimitro Kuleba issued a petition calling on African countries to step off the fence.

“Neutrality will encourage Russia To continue its aggression and malicious activities around the world, including in Africa,” he said.

This story has been published without modification in text from a wire agency feed.