UN resolution against Russia fails in the Security Council

Created: 02/26/2022, 00:15

UN Secretary-General António Guterres speaks to media representatives.

© John Minchillo/AP/dpa

Acceptance of the prepared UN resolution against Russia's invasion of Ukraine in the Security Council seemed impossible from the outset.

As expected, Russia is now vetoing the text.

New York - A resolution against Russia's invasion of Ukraine has failed in the UN Security Council.

As expected, Moscow vetoed the text at the vote in the United Nations' most powerful body on Friday in New York - but China, along with two other countries, abstained.

11 states of the 15-member council voted for the text.

Western diplomats saw this as a success in their attempt to diplomatically isolate Russia and drive a wedge between Moscow and Beijing.

The draft resolution, which is available to the German Press Agency, condemns Russia's aggression "in the strongest possible terms" and reaffirms the sovereignty and territorial integrity as well as the independence and unity of Ukraine.

It demands immediate withdrawal from Russia and a return to the Minsk Agreement.

The text - which was prepared under the auspices of the United States - states, among other things, that the Security Council should decide "that the Russian Federation immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraws its armed forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders".

Russia with veto power

Since Russia has veto rights in the Security Council, as does China, the USA, France and Great Britain, acceptance seemed impossible from the outset.

However, the United States and its western allies hoped to be able to diplomatically isolate Moscow to a large extent.

The negotiations for this lasted until the last minutes before the vote - the text was subsequently changed again to prevent China from vetoing it and to get the approval of shaky candidates.

However, the latter was not achieved due to the abstentions of India and the United Arab Emirates.

Beijing had recently been cautious, at least at the UN in New York, and had avoided defending its partner Russia.

In recent years, Moscow and Beijing have regularly voted together and are seen as an alliance in the Security Council.

After the failure of the resolution, the text is now to be handed over to the UN General Assembly, according to several diplomats.

All 193 member states can vote there.

They could adopt the resolution with a simple majority.

dpa