<\/p>\n
The General Assembly approved the resolution with 143 in favour and five against, but 35 nations abstained, including China, India, South Africa and Pakistan, despite a major US diplomatic effort to seek clearer condemnation of Moscow.<\/p>\n
The resolution \u201ccondemns the organisation by the Russian Federation of so-called referendums within the internationally recognised borders of Ukraine\u201d and \u201cthe attempted illegal annexation\u201d announced last month of four regions by President Vladimir Putin.<\/p>\n
It calls on all UN and international agencies not to recognise any changes announced by Russia to borders and demands that Moscow \u201cimmediately and unconditionally reverse\u201d its decisions.<\/p>\n
The vote showed Russia that it \u201ccannot erase a sovereign state from the map,\u201d Biden said in a White House statement.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy attacking the core tenets of the UN Charter, Russia is tearing at the very foundations of international peace and security,\u201d the statement said. \u201cThe stakes of this conflict are clear to all \u2014 and the world has sent a clear message in response.\u201d<\/p>\n
The US ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, had urged all nations to send a message that the world \u201cwill not tolerate seizing a neighbour\u2019s land by force.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cToday, it is Russia invading Ukraine. But tomorrow, it could be another nation whose territory is violated. It could be you. You could be next. What would you expect from this chamber?\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u2013 International condemnation \u2013<\/strong> <\/p>\n The United States had put special energy into seeking to persuade South Africa and especially India, a growing US partner that has a historically close relationship with Russia and also abstained in the Security Council, where it holds a non-permanent seat.<\/p>\n The vote was largely the same \u2013 with a net two more votes against Russia \u2013 as when the General Assembly in March condemned the initial invasion of Ukraine.<\/p>\n Bangladesh, Iraq and Senegal \u2013 which abstained in March \u2013 on Wednesday voted to condemn Russia.<\/p>\n Eritrea, one of the world\u2019s most closed states, moved from a \u201cno\u201d to an abstention, while Nicaragua, under growing international pressure over human rights, switched from abstaining to voting \u201cno\u201d alongside only Russia, Belarus, North Korea and Syria.<\/p>\n \u201cSouth Africa considers the territorial integrity of states and that of Ukraine to be sacrosanct, and we reject all actions that undermine the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and international law,\u201d said South Africa\u2019s representative, Mathu Joyini.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have abstained on the resolution because we believe that the objective of this assembly, in keeping with its mandate, must always be to contribute to a constructive outcome conducive to the creation of sustainable peace in Ukraine,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Western powers counter that Russia is not genuinely interested in peace, as witnessed by deadly strikes on civilians in Kyiv and western Ukraine.<\/p>\n India\u2019s envoy, Ruchira Kamboj, said that \u201cthe entire Global South has suffered a substantial collateral damage\u201d from the war and that \u201cpressing issues\u201d were not addressed in the resolution.<\/p>\n Bangladesh, explaining its move to condemn Russia, said that the international community should also stand firm against any attempt by Israel to annex occupied Palestinian territory.<\/p>\n \u201cWe strongly believe that the purposes and principles of the UN Charter regarding respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity and peaceful settlement of all disputes must be complied universally for everyone, everywhere, under all circumstances,\u201d said Bangladesh\u2019s ambassador, Muhammad Abdul Muhith.<\/p>\n