UNSC resolution on Russian invasion of Ukraine: How countries voted

While Russia was expected to use its veto power as a permanent member of the council, the debate and subsequent voting were significant as it showed there was major opposition to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine on Thursday.

Who voted in favour of the UNSC resolution, and who abstained?

Eleven out of the 15 permanent and non-permanent members — including the US, UK and France — voted in favour of the resolution, while India, China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) chose to abstain.

The countries that voted to adopt the motion included the US, France, UK, Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana, Ireland, Kenya, Mexico, and Norway.

Voting was delayed for about two hours, during which the co-sponsors of the resolution — US and Albania — scrambled to get wavering nations to support the motion.

You can veto resolution, but can’t veto our voices: US Ambassador

Condemning the attack on Ukraine, US Ambassador Linda Thomas Greenfield told her Russian counterpart that while his country can veto the resolution, it cannot “veto” widespread condemnation of the other member states.

“You cannot veto the truth. You cannot veto our principles. You cannot veto the Ukrainian people,” Greenfield said.

Deeply disturbed by developments in Ukraine, says India

Explaining the country’s position, India’s Permanent Representative at the UN T S Tirumurti said, “India is deeply disturbed by the recent turn of developments in Ukraine.”

“We urge that all efforts are made for the immediate cessation of violence and hostilities,” he said. This was conveyed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Russian President Vladimir Putin as well, during a phone call on Thursday. “No solution can ever be arrived at the cost of human lives,” Tirumurti said.

“The contemporary global order has been built on the UN Charter, international law, and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states,” he went on to say. “All member states need to honour these principles in finding a constructive way forward.”

China: Security of one country can’t come at cost of undermining security of other nations

China’s permanent representative to the UN, Zhang Jun, said the “sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states should be respected and that the purposes and principles of the UN Charter should be upheld.”

“Security of one country cannot come at the cost of undermining the security of other nations…Ukraine should become a bridge between East and West,” Zhang said.

China’s decision to abstain, rather than use its veto alongside usual ally Russia, was seen as a diplomatic achievement, The Associated Press reported.

Resolution text watered down for additional support

The sponsors of the resolution agreed to water down some of its text to garner wider support. They eliminated putting the resolution under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter, which can be enforced militarily, and a determination “that the situation in Ukraine constitutes a breach of international peace and security, and that the Russian Federation has committed acts of aggression against Ukraine”, AP reported. They also changed the term “condemns” to “deplores” in sections about Russia’s attack.

Ukrainian foreign minister urges India to support UNSC resolution on Russian invasion

Before the session, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Friday spoke to his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar and sought India’s support for the UNSC resolution, PTI reported.

In a tweet, Jaishankar said he emphasised that India supports diplomacy and dialogue as the “way out” to the current situation, and discussed the “predicament” of the Indian nationals in Ukraine.

‘It is exactly safety of your nationals’ that ‘you should…vote to stop the war’, says Ukraine envoy after voting on UNSC resolution

“It is exactly the safety of your nationals” in Ukraine for which “you should be the first” to vote to stop the war, Kyiv’s envoy at the United Nations has said in an apparent reference to India as it abstained on a UNSC resolution that “deplores” Russian aggression against Ukraine.

“I am saddened, however, that there is a small, handful of members that seem to be still tolerating the war,” Sergiy Kyslytsya said after the Security Council voted on the US-led draft resolution.

Prominent Indian-American Congressman expresses disappointment over India abstaining UNSC resolution on Russia

Prominent Indian-American Congressman Ro Khanna has expressed disappointment over India’s decision to abstain from the UN Security Council resolution on Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, saying it is the US and not Russia that will stand with New Delhi against China’s current expansionist plans.