The world remains united behind Ukraine a year later
People take part in a vigil in Trafalgar Square, London, organized by the Ukrainian and US embassies ahead of the one-year mark of Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine. (© Kin Cheung/AP)
On the eve of the first year since Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine, the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly voted in favor of a resolution calling for a “comprehensive peace” in Ukraine and calling on the Russian Federation to withdraw its forces.
“Today’s vote was really historic. You’ve seen where the world’s countries stand a year after Russia’s illegal, unprovoked, all-out invasion of Ukraine. We’ve shown where we stand – with Ukraine,” Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.S. Representative to the United Nations, said Feb. 23 after the vote.
The US was among the 141 countries that voted in favor of the resolution, while only six countries joined Russia in opposing the resolution. 32 countries abstained.
“Ukraine’s indomitable will has rallied the world to her cause, with conscientious people around the world uniting behind Ukraine, and repeated calls from the halls of the United Nations for Russia to end the war of its choice,” he said Foreign Minister Antony Blinken issued a statement Feb. 24, released before he appeared at the United Nations later that day.
The UN action resembled a March 2, 2022 vote when an overwhelming majority of nations denounced the war in Ukraine and called on Vladimir Putin to end it. A year later, the vote shows that the world understands that compliance with the principles of the UN Charter is critical to a just and lasting peace.
Minister Blinken returned to the UN Security Council on February 24, where he outlined the Council’s unique responsibility to uphold the UN Charter as Putin’s war enters its second year.
Russia’s all-out invasion has displaced more than 13 million people from their communities in Ukraine and destroyed thousands of homes, schools, hospitals and other civilian infrastructure in Ukraine.
“For peace to be just, it must uphold the principles of the UN Charter: sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence,” the secretary said. “For the peace to be lasting, it must be ensured that Russia cannot rest, rearm and resume its war in a few months or a few years.”
