India abstains on UNGA resolution that deplores Russian aggression against Ukraine

United Nations, Mar 2: India abstained in the 193-member UN General Assembly on a resolution that strongly deplored Russia's aggression against Ukraine, the third abstention in less than a week by the country in the world body on resolutions on the escalating crisis between Moscow and Kyiv.

The General Assembly on Wednesday voted to reaffirm its commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders and "deplores in the strongest terms" Russia's aggression against Ukraine.

Nearly 100 UN Member States co-sponsored the resolution titled 'Aggression Against Ukraine', including Afghanistan, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Kuwait, Singapore, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the United States. The resolution required a 2/3 majority of those voting yes and no to be adopted in the General Assembly.

A total of 141 members voted in the favour of the resolution while 5 opposed it. India was among 35 nations who abstained. The UNGA resolution was similar to the one circulated in the 15-nation Security Council last Friday, on which also India had abstained.

The UNSC resolution, which received 11 votes in favour and three abstentions, was blocked after permanent member Russia exercised its veto. Following the failure of the Council to adopt the resolution, the Security Council voted on Sunday again to convene a rare "emergency special session" of the 193-member General Assembly on the crisis.

India again abstained on this resolution, reiterating that "there is no other choice but to return back to the path of diplomacy and dialogue."

The procedural resolution Sunday was adopted even though Moscow voted against it and the General Assembly then held a rare emergency special session on the Ukraine crisis Monday. President of the 76th session of the General Assembly Abdulla Shahid presided over the unprecedented session, only the 11th such emergency session of the General Assembly since 1950.

With the adoption of the UNSC resolution Sunday, it was for the first time in 40 years that the Council decided to call for an emergency special session in the General Assembly. The resolution demanded that Russia immediately cease its use of force against Ukraine and refrain from any further unlawful threat or use of force against any UN member state.

The resolution also demanded that Russia "immediately, completely, and unconditionally" withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders." PTI