On the eve of the first anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the U.N. General Assembly adopted a resolution demanding that “the Russian Federation immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders.”
An overwhelming majority of the nations, 141, voted in favor of the resolution called “Principles of the Charter of the United Nations underlying a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine,” which was sponsored by over 70 countries and based on the Peace Formula presented by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the G20 summit in November 2022.
As few as seven nations voted against it, with 32 abstentions.
Besides the demand for Russia to withdraw its forces from Ukraine, the U.N. “reaffirms its commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, extending to its territorial waters” and “calls upon member states and international organizations to redouble support for diplomatic efforts to achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine.”
The resolution demands that the treatment of all prisoners of this war comply with the Geneva Conventions and calls for the complete exchange of POWs, the release of all unlawfully detained persons and the return of all internees and civilians, including children, forcibly transferred and deported.
Calling on the parties to the armed conflict to refrain from attacking objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population, the U.N. demands explicitly an “immediate cessation of the attacks on the critical infrastructure of Ukraine and any deliberate attacks on civilian objects, including those that are residences, schools and hospitals.”
The Assembly also “emphasizes the need to ensure accountability for the most serious crimes under international law committed on the territory of Ukraine through appropriate, fair and independent investigations and prosecutions at the national or international level, and ensure justice for all victims and the prevention of future crimes.”
The UNGA rejected two amendments proposed by Belarus. The first proposal would have altered several of the resolution’s provisions, and the second would have had the Assembly call on Member States to, among other things, refrain from sending weapons to the zone of conflict.
“I am grateful to all the countries that endorsed the crucial U.N. General Assembly resolution “Principles of the Charter of the United Nations that underline the comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine,” reacted President Zelensky on Twitter. “This resolution is a powerful signal of unflagging global support for Ukraine. A powerful testament to the solidarity of the world community with the Ukrainian people in the context of the anniversary of RF’s full-scale aggression. A powerful manifestation of global support for the Peace Formula!”
“By voting in favor of today’s UNGA resolution, 141 U.N. member states made it clear that Russia must end its illegal aggression. Ukraine’s territorial integrity must be restored. One year after Russia launched its full-scale invasion, global support for Ukraine remains strong,” tweeted Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.
“For the second time in under a year, the world’s “town hall,” the United Nations General Assembly, where all 193 UN Member States have a voice, voted overwhelmingly in condemnation of one of its Permanent Members. The unflagging dedication of Ukraine’s diplomatic corps towards achieving this goal is to be commended,” commented Andrij Dobriansky, Director of the UWC Mission to the U.N. and the spokesman for the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America.
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