UN General Assembly Passes Strong Resolution Condemning Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine

The United Nations General Assembly finally got something right. On Wednesday, it voted overwhelmingly to approve a resolution entitled “Aggression against Ukraine.” The resolution strongly condemned Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine and demanded that Russia withdraw all of its military forces from all of Ukraine's territory. The vote was 141 votes yes, 5 no, and 35 abstentions, exceeding the two-third majority needed to approve the resolution. Siding with Russia in voting against the resolution were North Korea, Syria, Belarus, and Eritrea. China abstained.

“End hostilities in Ukraine — now. Silence the guns — now. Open the door to dialogue and diplomacy — now.”

Russia had vetoed a comparable resolution in the UN Security Council last week, leading to the convening of an emergency session of the General Assembly where no country has a veto power. The General Assembly resolution reaffirmed its “commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders, extending to its territorial waters.” It deplored “in the strongest terms the aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine in violation of Article 2 (4) of the Charter,” which requires the member states of the UN to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. The resolution demanded that “the Russian Federation immediately cease its use of force against Ukraine” and that “the Russian Federation immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders.” While technically not legally binding under the UN Charter, the General Assembly resolution at least conveys on a global stage the world's moral outrage at Vladimir Putin’s gross acts of aggression against a sovereign UN member state and its citizens. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters immediately after the vote that the General Assembly had sent a loud and clear message: “End hostilities in Ukraine — now. Silence the guns — now. Open the door to dialogue and diplomacy — now.”

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The United Nations General Assembly has too often not been on the right side of history for decades

The U.S. Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield remarked that “the world has spoken with a clear, united voice” and that “Russia is isolated and alone.” Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky tweeted: “I’m grateful to everyone & every state that voted in favor. You have chosen the right side of history.” The United Nations General Assembly has too often not been on the right side of history for decades. Its relentless bashing of Israel for defending Israeli civilians from terrorist attacks and the General Assembly’s willingness to give Hamas a free pass are disgraceful examples. But even a broken clock is right twice a day. If Putin ignores the resolution as expected and mounts even more vicious attacks against Ukrainian civilians, the next step must be a resolution kicking Russia out of the United Nations altogether.