a year ago when Vladimir Putin made the televised announcement in which he reported the start of the war in Ukraine Under the euphemism of launching a “special military operation”, he raised the symbolism of his challenge to the international order by choosing the precise moment in which the United Nations Security Council it was holding its second meeting in two days to address the crisis that was brewing but not yet believed to have broken out. Since then, in the UN has been staged fracture of the international community. The limitations of the body to respond to a conflict like this one, initiated by a country with the right of veto in the Council, the body that should be the guarantor of peace and security, have also become evident. And at the gates of First anniversary of the contention, everything stays pretty much the same.
This Wednesday starts in a emergency session of the General Assembly a debate that will end with the vote this Thursday, or even Friday, of a resolution, non-bindingin which calls for the “cessation of hostilities & rdquor; and the withdrawal of Russia from Ukraine. It will be the fourth voten referred to this war that the Assembly welcomes, which brings together 193 countries (although due to their economic problems to pay their debts with the UN, Lebanon and Venezuela will not be able to vote). And the eyes are set on seeing the final numbers to identify if there have been movements in supports, rejections and abstentions.
On March 2 of last year, 141 nations denounced the invasion and called for the withdrawal of troops. A few weeks later, 140 called for humanitarian access and protection of civilians, criticizing Russia. In another vote in April, the number of votes to request the expulsion of the country from the UN Human Rights Council dropped to 93, after which Moscow announced that it was leaving the body. And on October 12, 143 countries condemned the “illegal annexation attempt & rdquor; of occupied regions.
In that last vote, Putin’s government only managed to get four other countries (Belarus, North Korea, Nicaragua and Syria) to join against the resolution. but others 53, including China and a good part of the African continentas well as representatives of the so-called global South, abstained.
The text
The resolution has been prepared by Ukraine in consultation with allies and by this Wednesday had obtained the sponsorship of at least 68 countries. kyiv abandonment the initial idea of including the 10 point plan proposed in november by the president Volodimir Zelensky and accepted in search of gaining support simplify the text, which has ended up urging Moscow to “immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all its forces military on the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders& rdquor ;, which include the territories that Moscow claims to have annexed. It also reaffirms the UN’s commitment to “sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity& rdquor; from Ukraine.
The resolution also calls for “cessation of hostilities” the expression for which they have ended up opting instead of “cease fire & rdquor ;. An attempt has been made with this to endow the language with a longer lasting background and include a concept that could give rise to the start of negotiations, and the text also stresses the need to reach, “as soon as possible, a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Charter & rdquor ;, calling on all member countries and international organizations to “redouble efforts & rdquor; to get it.
Although those calls to peace and the negotiation are one of the claims made by the Global South, Nothing has moved the government of Vladimir Putin one iota. According to one letter sent to other member countries on Monday by the Russian ambassador to the UN, Vasily Nebenzia, calling for them to oppose the resolution, Moscow’s position is that “even the eventual cessation of hostilities no clear incentive for meaningful negotiationsplus one rectifying the issues that led to the crisis, it will not bring a lasting solution & rdquor ;. And in her letter, seen by Reuters, Nebenzia denounced the text as “unbalanced and anti-Russian & rdquor ;, criticizing that he does not make direct mention of “dialogue or negotiations & rdquor ;.
humanitarian consequences
The resolution regrets “the dire humanitarian consequences and for the human rights of the aggression against Ukraine & rdquor ;, pointing specifically to “the continuous attacks on infrastructure & rdquor; and highlighting the “devastating consequences for the civilian population & rdquor ;. urges the full compliance with international humanitarian law and urges global cooperation “in a spirit of solidarity to address the global impact of the war on food security, energy, finance, the environment and nuclear safety & rdquor ;.
It is in those areas where the UN it has been more effective in this year of war. The organism has been again fundamental in tasks like humanitarian assistance both to 18 million Ukrainians needy in the country as well as the 6.5 million internally displaced already the eight million refugees. He has also completed a vital role in diplomatic negotiations to mitigate the effects of the contest such as the blow to the movement of grain and fertilizers and has continued to lend food aid to impacted countries and populations Worldwide.
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But the war continues, and the Security Council, with an expired structure which gives veto rights to Russia, China, the United States, France and the United Kingdom, continues disabled to act. He Fridaythe day of the exact anniversary, will be held precisely in the Council a ministerial meeting but it can be assumed that nothing concrete will come out of there, beyond listening speecheswhich will open with one from the general secretary Antonio Guterres.
It is also expected presentation “in the next few days& rdquor; of a “positioning document & rdquor; What China has made on the war, according to the announcement on Tuesday by the ambassador of Beijing, Zhan Jung. It will not be a peace plan, as the diplomat stressed, but a text that “will mainly reflect China’s consistent positions on this issue & rdquor ;. He will emphasize, as he declared, “the respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity from all countries” as well as the need for nations to “accommodate the security concerns” from other countries. “Mainly we will ask peace, dialogue and a peaceful agreement”, he said.