NEW YORK / OSLO (VG) During the UN Extraordinary General Assembly on Monday night, Ukraine’s ambassador uses harsh words about the invasion of Ukraine. Russia’s ambassador responds by blaming Ukraine.
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For the eleventh time since 1950, the UN convened an extraordinary general meeting on Monday afternoon with the war in Ukraine as its theme.
On Sunday, the UN delegates in New York had to decide whether such a special session should be held.
Of the 15 members of the Security Council, 11 voted to hold the meeting, while Russia voted no. China, India and the United Arab Emirates abstained.
The debate in Monday’s meeting at times faded into very sharp twists.
Also read: – The purpose is to stop the acts of war
Compared to Hitler
“Everyone knows that Russia, and Russia alone, started this invasion, now with the help of Belarus,” said Ukraine’s ambassador to the UN, Sergij Kyslytsya, from the rostrum.
– This war was not provoked. It was chosen by someone sitting in a bunker. We know what happened to the person who was sitting in a bunker in Berlin in 1945, he continued.
After giving descriptions of how the Russian invasion behaves on Ukrainian soil, he followed up with a rhetorical question.
– Does it remind you of anything?
– Exactly. Very clear parallels can be drawn to the beginning of World War II.
“Russia’s actions are very similar to what their Third Reich spiritual leaders applied to Ukrainian soil 80 years ago,” Kyslytsya said.
Leave the blame on Ukraine
Russia’s ambassador to the UN, Vasily Nebenzya, spoke shortly after Ukraine’s ambassador spoke.
Nebenzya began his post by emphasizing that it “abounds with false information about the situation in Ukraine”.
He then went on to talk about what he believes caused the war.
– The root of the current crisis lies in Ukraine’s actions over many years. They have neglected their obligations in the Minsk agreement, he said.
–He further added that Russia’s military actions were carried out in self – defense, in a need to protect the Russian people in the breakaway republics of Luhansk and Donetsk.
The ambassador did not agree with the comparisons to World War II that came from the Ukrainian ambassador.
The Security Council meets
It is expected that the general meeting will vote on one similar resolution as Russia used his veto power to strike on Friday, in a few days.
The Security Council will also meet on Monday to discuss the humanitarian situation in Ukraine. It will be the fifth meeting of the Security Council in the last week, according to Reuters.
In the Security Council, the five permanent countries have a veto: the United States, China, Russia, the United Kingdom and France. The other ten countries are elected by the General Assembly on a temporary basis. Last year, Norway was elected.
–– Hold the attacker accountable
Norway sits as one of 14 members of the Security Council, and was involved in developing the first resolution that was vetoed by Russia. On Monday, during the UN General Assembly, Denmark delivered the speech on behalf of Norway, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania and Sweden.
– Let me be clear: every civilian death, every war crime, will be registered, and we will ensure that the perpetrators of these heinous crimes are held accountable and brought to justice. History has its eyes on us. All available legal avenues will be used to hold the attacker accountable, Denmark’s UN representative said from the rostrum, adding:
– Nordic-Baltic countries have provided economic, humanitarian and military assistance to the people of Ukraine. And many of our partners around the world have joined us. Each nation must look at how they can further support Ukraine.
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