The United Nations voted overwhelmingly on Thursday to demand that Russia immediately and unconditionally withdraw its troops from Ukraine, marking the one‑year anniversary of the war with a call for a “just and lasting” peace. In the non‑binding vote, 141 of the 193 UN members supported the resolution, seven opposed it, and 32—including China and India—abstained. This level of backing for Kyiv is little changed from last October, when 143 countries condemned Russia’s declared annexation of four Ukrainian regions.
The resolution, adopted after two days of debate, reaffirmed support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and rejected any Russian claims to the occupied parts of the country. It demanded that “the Russian Federation immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders” and called for a cessation of hostilities. During the debate, Kyiv urged the international community to choose “between good and evil.”
The vote highlighted Moscow’s continued isolation on the world stage after twelve months of war. Although Russia enjoys the support of only a handful of countries, it has used its veto power to block any binding motions against it in the UN Security Council. Consequently, the issue has been taken up by the UN General Assembly, which has repeatedly shown solid support for Kyiv. Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said, “Next year, we should not meet here to mark the second anniversary of this senseless war of aggression.” French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna added, “Russia can and must stop, tomorrow.” She warned that the war threatens the existence of a state, represents a domineering imperialist plan, and denies the existence of borders.
Russia dismissed the resolution. Its UN representative, Vasily Nebenzya, labeled Ukraine “neo‑Nazi” and accused the West of sacrificing the country and the developing world in a bid to defeat Russia, claiming the West was ready “to plunge the entire world into the abyss of war” to maintain its “hegemony.” European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell rejected this view, stating, “This war is not a ‘European issue’ nor a ‘West versus Russia’ conflict. It concerns everyone: the North, the South, the East and the West.”
China and India continued to abstain, showing they have not been swayed to outright condemn Moscow’s invasion, even as both have criticized Russia’s threats to deploy nuclear weapons. Before the vote, Dai Bing, China’s deputy representative at the UN, took a neutral stance, calling on both sides to cease fighting and enter peace talks. He said, “We support Russia and Ukraine moving towards each other, resuming direct dialogue as soon as possible, bringing their legitimate concerns into the negotiation, setting out feasible options, putting an early end to the crisis and giving peace a chance.” He also echoed Russia’s justification for the invasion, noting that Russia’s security was threatened by Ukraine’s tilt toward Western Europe and NATO, and argued that any settlement should “give due regard to … the reasonable security concerns of all countries, thereby properly addressing their legitimate security aspirations.”
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