UNITED NATIONS (AP) 鈥 The U.N. General Assembly voted overwhelmingly Wednesday to condemn Russia鈥檚 鈥渁ttempted illegal annexation鈥 of four Ukrainian regions and demand its immediate reversal, a sign of strong global opposition to the seven-month war and Moscow鈥檚 attempt to grab its neighbor鈥檚 territory.
The vote in the 193-member world body was 143-5 with 35 abstentions. It was the strongest support from the General Assembly for Ukraine and against Russia of the four resolutions it has approved since Russian troops invaded Ukraine Feb. 24.
The Western-sponsored resolution was a response to Russia鈥檚 announced annexation last month of Ukraine鈥檚 Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions. Moscow acted following Kremlin-orchestrated 鈥渞eferendums鈥 that the Ukrainian government and the West have dismissed as sham votes conducted on occupied land amid warfare and displacement.
During two days of speeches at the assembly's resumed emergency special session on Ukraine speaker after speaker accused Russia of violating key principles of the United Nations Charter 鈥 respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all U.N. member nations.
Before the vote, U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said that when the United Nations was established on the ashes of World War II it was built on an idea 鈥 鈥渢hat never again would one country be allowed to take another鈥檚 territory by force.鈥
She said the facts were clear, that a veto-wielding permanent member of the U.N. Security Council had attempted to annex territory from its neighbor by force, and she urged all countries to condemn Russia for the annexations.
A key issue for the resolution鈥檚 Western backers was how many countries would support it, and the result went beyond their most optimistic expectations.
The General Assembly voted 141-5 with 35 abstentions March 2 to demand an immediate Russian cease-fire, withdrawal of all its troops and protection for all civilians. On March 24, it voted 140-5 with 38 abstentions on a resolution blaming Russia for Ukraine鈥檚 humanitarian crisis and urging an immediate cease-fire and protection for millions of civilians and the homes, schools and hospitals critical to their survival.
But the assembly voted by a far smaller margin April 7 to suspend Russia from the U.N.'s Geneva-based Human Rights Council over allegations Russian soldiers in Ukraine engaged in rights violations that the United States and Ukraine have called war crimes. That vote was 93-24 with 58 abstentions.
A 2014 resolution affirming Ukraine鈥檚 territorial integrity and declaring the referendum that led to Russia鈥檚 annexation of the Crimean Peninsula illegal was adopted by a vote of 100-11 with 58 abstentions.
Among the surprises in support for Wednesday's resolution were the 鈥測es鈥 votes from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other members of the Gulf Cooperation Council as well as Brazil.
Russia鈥檚 U.N. ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, had appealed to countries to vote against the resolution, calling it 鈥渁 politicized and openly provocative document鈥 and denouncing its sponsors as 鈥渦nscrupulous Western blackmailers.鈥 He expressed regret the vote was not by secret ballot, as Russia sought.
Nebenzia reiterated Russia鈥檚 claims the referendums were valid, saying 鈥渢he populations of these regions do not want to return to Ukraine.鈥
The four countries that joined Russia in voting against the resolution were North Korea, Belarus, Syria and Nicaragua.
China, India, Pakistan, South Africa and Cuba were among the 35 countries that abstained.
The more powerful Security Council, whose resolutions are legally binding, has been stymied on taking action on Ukraine because of Russia鈥檚 veto power, which it used Sept. 29 to block condemnation of Russia鈥檚 attempts to annex Ukrainian territory.
By contrast, the General Assembly, where there are no vetoes, has now approved four resolutions criticizing Russia over Ukraine. Its votes reflect world opinion but are not legally binding.
The resolution adopted Wednesday declares that Moscow鈥檚 actions violate Ukraine鈥檚 sovereignty and territorial integrity, are 鈥渋nconsistent鈥 with the principles of the U.N. Charter, and 鈥渉ave no validity under international law and do not form the basis for any alternation of the status of these regions of Ukraine.鈥
It demands that Russia 鈥渋mmediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders.鈥
And it supports 鈥渢he de-escalation of the current situation and a peaceful resolution of the conflict through political dialogue, negotiation, mediation and other peaceful means鈥 that respect Ukraine鈥檚 sovereignty, territorial integrity and internationally recognized borders.
During Wednesday鈥檚 debate there was strong support for the resolution.
Australian Ambassador Mitch Fifield called Russia鈥檚 attempted annexation 鈥渋llegal and a dangerous escalation鈥 and urged all countries to support the resolution to oppose acts of aggression.
Ambassador Fergal Mythen of Ireland said voters in the 鈥渟ham鈥 referendums in the four regions 鈥渇aced intimidation by the Russian military and Russia鈥檚 illegitimately appointed authorities.鈥
Cambodian Ambassador Sovann Ke didn鈥檛 indicate how he would vote but said that 鈥渢he forcible annexation of regions from a sovereign country is a flagrant violation of the U.N. Charter and international laws, which is not acceptable鈥 and urged that internationally respected borders 鈥渂e fully respected.鈥 In the voting, Cambodia supported the resolution.
South Korea鈥檚 ambassador, Hwang Joonkook, gave unequivocal support 鈥渢o the sovereignty, political independence and the territorial integrity of Ukraine.鈥 He said his country's 鈥渙wn painful experiences鈥 after the 1950-53 Korean War 鈥渃an testify that any attempt to divide a nation in any form or method is merely the beginning of lasting very serious troubles, rather than a solution.鈥
On the other side of that divide, North Korean Ambassador Kim Song supported the 鈥渟elf-determination鈥 of the people in the four regions annexed by Russia as a right protected in the U.N. Charter and said the results must be respected.
He accused the United States and Western countries of 鈥渂rutally鈥 violating the sovereignty and territorial integrity of former Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya under 鈥渢he pretext鈥 of promoting international peace and security without ever having its actions called into question by the Security Council. He argued that U.S. interference in the internal affairs of countries is continuing in the 21st century.
Syrian Ambassador Bassam Sabbagh accused the General Assembly of 鈥渂eing manipulated flagrantly by some Western countries for their own geopolitical interests鈥 and urged countries to oppose efforts 鈥渢o isolate Russia and to employ double standards."
