The UN Security Council met because of the escalation in eastern Ukraine. Western countries in particular condemned Russia’s move. Others emphasized their neutrality.
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After the unprecedented escalation in the Ukraine conflict, a number of countries have threatened consequences against Russia before the UN Security Council. None of the members of the most powerful UN body, meanwhile, defended Moscow’s order to send troops to the neighboring country at a heated emergency meeting in New York on Monday evening (local time).
The US sees the actions as the first step towards a full invasion. Russia meanwhile blamed Ukraine and threatened “extremely dangerous consequences”. Moscow’s partner China was noticeably reticent.
US: Putin ‘torn to pieces’ Minsk agreement
US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield condemned Russia’s recognition of the self-proclaimed People’s Republics of Luhansk and Donetsk in eastern Ukraine and sending troops into the regions.
“Moreover, this move by President Putin is clearly the basis for Russia’s attempt to create a pretext for another invasion of Ukraine,” she said. Putin “tore to pieces” the Minsk agreement. The ambassador announced serious consequences for Moscow.
Russia blames Ukraine
Russia’s UN Ambassador Wassili Nebensya dismissed these and other statements – including from allies such as Ireland, Norway and Albania – as “emotional statements”. In his speech he targeted Ukraine. They have “military plans” and are shelling and provoking Luhansk and Donetsk. After recognition of the “People’s Republics” by Moscow, this could “have extremely dangerous consequences”.
Kiev did not want to fulfill the Minsk agreement. To avoid war, Ukraine must now be forced to end its provocations. “We do not intend to allow a new bloodbath in Donbass,” said Nebensia.
China promotes principles of UN charter
The measures for an invasion of Ukraine, which Western countries had been warning about for weeks, had been described by UN Secretary-General António Guterres as a breach of the United Nations Charter – a rare accusation against a veto power. Meanwhile, Russia’s closest partner in the Security Council did not come to the rescue: The statement by Beijing’s envoy Zhang Jun lasted only 1:16 minutes, in which he said that all international disputes should be settled “by peaceful means in accordance with the goals and principles of the UN Charter”. would have to be resolved.
According to German UN ambassador Antje Leendertse, Russia’s actions revealed its true intentions. “Russia has repeatedly insisted that it is not involved in the (Ukraine) conflict. Today it exposed itself and showed that it always was,” she said. Like France, Great Britain and other western countries, she announced “decisive and appropriate measures”.
India and UAE remain neutral
Under the impression of the American statement that an attack on Ukraine is an attack on the territorial integrity of all states, a number of other countries – including Kenya, Gabon, Ghana and, to a lesser extent, Brazil – also decided to criticize Russia.
India and the United Arab Emirates took on more neutral roles. The Ukrainian ambassador to the UN, Serhiy Kyslytsia, was combative: “We will stand firm. We are on our own ground. We are not afraid of anything or anyone. We owe nothing to anyone and we give nothing to anyone”.
“Forces of War Unleashed”
Because of Russia’s veto power, the Security Council on Monday remained just a stage on which no common solutions were found. Some countries pointed out that the conflict is ongoing and that a next step by Putin could result in many victims: “An invasion of Ukraine unleashes the forces of war, death and destruction against the people of Ukraine. The humanitarian impact will be civilians fleeing the fighting,” said British Ambassador to the UN, Barbara Woodward. “We call on Russia to take a step back.”
US Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield also accused the Russian President of dreaming of a Russian empire. “Putin wants the world to go back in time, to before the United Nations, to a time when empires ruled the world – but the rest of the world has moved forward. It’s not 1919, it’s 2022.”
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