General Assembly Takes Up Draft Resolution Condemning Russian Federation’s Annexation of Several Territories in Eastern Ukraine, Resuming Emergency Special Session
As part of its ongoing emergency special session on Ukraine, the General Assembly met today to consider a draft resolution introduced by Ukraine that, if approved, would condemn the Russian Federation’s annexation of several territories in eastern Ukraine in late September. Many delegates today deplored the annexation as a violation of international law while criticizing the Security Council’s inability to uphold global peace and security.
[Today’s special session was mandated after the Council on 30 September failed to adopt a resolution intended to condemn the Russian Federation referenda that preceded Moscow’s proclamation of its annexation of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. (See Press Release SC/15046 for details.) The draft Council resolution also would have declared that the referenda taken on 23 to 27 September in parts of those regions are neither valid nor form the basis for any alternation of the status of these regions of Ukraine, including any purported annexation by the Russian Federation.]
Introducing the text titled “Territorial integrity of Ukraine: defending the principles of the Charter of the United Nations”, that country’s representative said that, since 23 September, the Russian Federation has again violated international law and the sham referenda in four Ukrainian areas pose an existential threat to the United Nations and its Charter. He urged the Assembly to defend the Charter principles and reconfirm they remain a strong shield to protect all nations. “We are now at a tipping point where the UN will either restore its credibility or ultimately fall in failure,” he said.
The Russian Federation’s representative, however, said Ukraine and the West are pretending that history only began in February. Those who follow discussions in the Security Council know that his delegation had been ready to consider a balanced and fair text in that forum. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) only wants to escalate the conflict as part of its plan to undermine the Russian Federation, he said, stressing that Western Powers continue to supply the regime in Kyiv with deadly weapons, and Ukraine is now a platform to test them. Kyiv and its Western backers have covered up many crimes and those who scream about the Charter being violated did not remember that document when it came to the people of Kosovo and Iraq, he emphasized. He demanded that the Assembly suspend Rule 87 of its Rules of Procedure in order to take a decision on the draft resolution introduced by secret ballot — a motion that was rejected.
Before the Russian Federation delegate took the floor, the Assembly approved a motion put forth by Albania’s delegate for the Assembly’s decision to be taken by a recorded vote. She said the Russian Federation’s efforts to hold a secret ballot is a threat to transparency, pointing out that there is no Assembly precedent to hold a secret ballot on a non-venue issue.
Speaking on behalf of the Nordic and Baltic countries, the representative of Latvia said there is no such thing as a legitimate referendum amid human rights abuses and systematic violations of international humanitarian law, nor is there any such thing as a legal annexation of a State’s territory by another State after threats or direct use of force. The Russian Federation’s sham referenda and illegal attempt to annex any part of Ukrainian territory must be firmly and collectively rejected, he said, calling on the Russian Federation to completely and unilaterally withdraw its troops, comply with the 16 March order by the International Criminal Court and end its aggression against Ukraine.
The representative of Fiji, speaking on behalf of the Pacific Islands Forum, said: “The Charter cannot simply be worn like a prestigious cloak only to be discarded when perceived geopolitical interests are at stake.” He strongly condemned the Russian Federation’s latest threats to use nuclear weapons against Ukraine “and possibly others”. As a permanent member of the Council, the Russian Federation has an even greater responsibility to uphold the United Nations Charter, he said calling for that country to cease its attempted illegal annexations of Ukrainian territory, de-escalate the current situation and withdraw to its internationally recognized borders.
Likewise, the speaker for Poland said the Charter desperately needs the international community’s defence and condemned sham referenda which cannot lead to any binding action. He urged Member States to reject the Russian Federation’s illegal annexation attempt and vote to uphold the international legal order.
Several delegates condemned the Russian Federation’s latest attacks on Kyiv and other cities. The representative of the European Union, in its capacity as observer, said the indiscriminate attacks on civilians are war crimes and perpetrators will be held accountable. In the past week, the bloc facilitated a resolution condemning the Russian Federation’s organization of illegal referenda and its subsequent attempt to illegally annex Ukraine’s territory. He urged all Member States to co-sponsor and vote in favour of the text. “If we do not condemn the actions of the Russian Federation in Ukraine today, then we condone similar blatant attacks on any and all of our countries tomorrow,” he warned.
Noting that he woke up this morning to the shocking news of the Russian Federation’s attacks, the representative of Türkiye said the war must cease. This Assembly session is being held because the Council failed its primary responsibility. The Russian Federation’s attempts to annex Ukrainian territory are illegal and only serve to jeopardize prospect for peace. Türkiye has sponsored a draft resolution that will be put forward this week, he said, calling for negotiations to end the hostilities.
The speaker for Costa Rica condemned the shelling that ravaged Ukrainian communities over the weekend and said the international community must fear power with impunity and vanquish it with bravery. Noting that today’s meeting is taking place in the Assembly Hall and not the Trusteeship Council, she reminded delegates that States can no longer take the territory of others and expressed solidarity with the people from Ukraine and the Russian Federation who do not benefit from this neo-imperial transgression. States should not recognize annexations and must demand their end, she said, supporting law over force and a peaceful, negotiated solution.
Also speaking today were representatives of Singapore, Indonesia, Malta, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Dominican Republic, Albania, Austria, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, United Kingdom and Mexico.
At the beginning of the meeting, the Assembly decided by consensus that the Credentials Committee of the seventy-seventh session should serve for the resumed eleventh emergency special session. It also decided to follow the provisions of resolution 77/2 of 7 October, by which the Comoros, Sao Tome and Principe and Somalia are permitted to vote in the Assembly until the end of its seventy-seventh session, and vote at the eleventh emergency special session.
The Assembly will meet again at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, 11 October, to consider the election of Human Rights Council members.
Rules of Procedure
The representative of Albania proposed that the Assembly follow Rule 87 B of its Rules of Procedure and asked that a recorded vote be used when considering draft resolution “Territorial integrity of Ukraine: defending the principles of the Charter of the United Nations” (document A/ES-11/L.5). She said she proposed the motion because the Russian Federation has circulated a proposal that the action be taken through a secret ballot. The Assembly should clarify the issue to avoid confusion. She said the effort of the Russian Federation is a threat to transparency, pointing out that there is no Assembly precedent to hold a secret ballot on a non-venue issue.
The Assembly then approved by a vote of 107 in favour to 13 against, with 39 abstentions, the Albanian representative’s motion ‑ that the pending decision on Assembly resolution A/ES-11/L.5 be taken by a recorded vote.
Statement by President of General Assembly
CSABA KŐRÖSI (Hungary), President of the General Assembly, said that even though the war in Ukraine should have never started, it will end one day. “Guns will be silent, but when? At what cost?” he asked. In spotlighting skyrocketing food prices and the threat of famine, he called for the Black Sea Grain Initiative’s renewal beyond November. Turning to the constant fear of nuclear disaster, he commended the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for ensuring the safety of nuclear plants in the warzone. Any threat of using nuclear weapons should be universally condemned, he said. The United Nations Charter, Assembly and Secretary‑General have all been clear: aggression is illegal. Annexing territories by force is also illegal, he added while echoing the Secretary‑General that the referenda in occupied regions cannot be a genuine expression of popular will. “When it [be]comes a daily routine to watch images of destroyed cities and scattered bodies, we lose our humanity,” he stressed. The fighting must stop; the Russian Federation must withdraw its troops from Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders in line with the Assembly’s resolution on 2 March 2022. The alternative is a world without shared rules, without peace, without a future, he warned.
Introduction of Draft Resolution
SERGIY KYSLYTSYA (Ukraine), introducing “L.5”, said his day began 14 hours ago when his country was under attack and his family was unable to go to a bomb shelter. The Russian Federation is trying to bring the world back to the 1930s, when Adolf Hitler destroyed sovereign nations by invasion, fake referenda and Anschluss, he added. “We are now at a tipping point where the UN will either restore its credibility or ultimately fall in failure,” he said, as it is the Assembly’s responsibility to defend the principles of the Charter. Since 23 September, the Russian Federation has carried out another crime against international law. The sham referenda in four Ukrainian regions, followed by unlawful decisions by the Russian President and Parliament, served this very purpose and pose an existential threat to the United Nations and its Charter, he said.
Recalling the Organization’s first purpose enshrined in Article 1 of the Charter ‑ to maintain international peace and security and, to that end, to take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace and for the suppression of acts of aggression, he said Paragraph 4 of Article 2 is the most important in the regard, particularly concerning the threat and use of force against the territorial integrity and political independence of Ukraine by the Russian Federation. Violation of Paragraph 4 violates the cornerstone of peace in the Charter and basic rules of contemporary international law. “The only thing that Russia is afraid of is our strong unity of purpose in the UN Charter, in defence of the right of every country to benefit from respect for its sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he said, adding: “We have to save the United Nations. Not for the sake of this Hall, high-level weeks and other procedural and protocol issues that have been our routine since 1945. We need to do it for the sake of ourselves as most of us will find ourselves extremely vulnerable and unprotected if the Russian vision of the future prevails.” He urged the Assembly to reconfirm the Charter’s principles remain a strong shield to protect all nations. The spirit that guided the Assembly’s predecessors in San Francisco 77 years ago to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war should guide the Assembly now when it considers the draft resolution, he said.
VASSILY A. NEBENZIA (Russian Federation) began his speech with procedural issues, telling the hall that they had just witnessed “an outrageous fraud” when the General Assembly President took part in depriving his delegation from taking the floor on a point of order. “This is an unprecedented manipulation,” he added. Ukraine and the West are pretending that history only began in February 2022. Those who follow discussions in the Security Council know that the Russian Federation stood ready for a balanced and fair text and one that pushes for diplomacy. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) only wants to escalate the conflict which has long been part of its plan to undermine the Russian Federation, he said. Ukraine was chosen by those countries for this very purpose and is today a platform to test weapons.
The Russian Federation is trying to “protect our brothers and sisters in Eastern Ukraine”, he continued. Those are the same people that the Ukrainian Government calls “subhuman”. Kyiv and its Western backers have covered up many crimes. Those who scream about the United Nations Charter being violated did not remember that document when it came to the people of Kosovo and Iraq. The regime in Kyiv continues to be supplied deadly weapons by Western powers. These weapons target civilians, who are being “executed and thrown into pits”. In the east and the south of Ukraine, peaceful people are dying. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s appeal for a pre-emptive nuclear strike on the Russian Federation threatens global peace, he said, adding that the principle of territorial integrity applies to those that represent the entire people living under that Government. The Kyiv regime is devoid of this privilege because it impedes and violates the rights of the Russian-speaking people, but that is not in line with the unilateral speaking points of the West. He demanded that the Assembly suspend Rule 87 of its Rules of Procedure in order to take a decision on draft resolution A/ES-11/L.5 by secret ballot.
Mr. KŐRÖSI said this would constitute a reconsideration of Assembly’s earlier decision to adopt the motion submitted by Albania and recalled Rule 81.
The representatives of Albania and Ukraine took the floor to oppose the motion by the Russian Federation.
The representative of the Russian Federation disagreed with the President’s ruling saying that Rule 81 does not apply as there are two different proposals. As the Russian Federation is proposing that Rule 87 B be suspended as a whole, Article 71 applies to his delegation’s proposal, he clarified.
Mr. KŐRÖSI said Rule 81 is applicable as the Russian Federation has challenged the President’s ruling that the proposal is a reconsideration of the earlier decision. The Assembly rejected the appeal against the President’s ruling by a vote of 100 against to 14 in favour with 38 in abstention. The Assembly upheld the President’s ruling.
The Assembly then rejected a reconsideration of its earlier decision by a vote of 104 against to 16 in favour, with 34 in abstention.
The representative of the Russian Federation then took the floor on a point of order and called for a vote on the draft resolution.
Mr. KŐRÖSI reiterated that he would conduct the meeting in accordance with the Assembly’s Rules of Procedure and past practices including of emergency special sessions. The Assembly therefore would proceed with the debate and then take action on the resolution.
The representative of the Russian Federation, taking the floor on a point of order, asked for previous instances where the decisions on the Rules of Procedure, including voting, were taken at the beginning of the debate with voting then occurring at the end. Disagreeing with the “illogical and inconsistent” approach, he referenced the Assembly’s long wait before voting and expressed his regret over how the proceedings were conducted.
ANDREJS PILDEGOVIČS (Latvia), speaking on behalf of the Nordic and Baltic Countries, said there is no such thing as a legitimate referendum amidst brutal warfare and widespread and systematic violations of international humanitarian law, human rights violations and abuses. There is no such thing as a valid annexation of a State’s territory by another State after threats or direct use of force. Under international law, all States are obliged to not recognize the attempted illegal annexation of Ukrainian territory by the Russian Federation. He said a world without respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and the rules-based international order cannot stand. Therefore, the sham referenda and illegal attempt to annex any part of Ukrainian territory by the Russian Federation must be firmly and collectively rejected, he said, adding that the Russian Federation must completely and unilaterally withdraw its troops from that territory within its internationally recognized borders. The Russian Federation must comply with the 16 March order of the International Criminal Court, which is binding on the parties, and stop its aggression against Ukraine. The Assembly must underline that the unacceptable threats of the Russian Federation on the use of nuclear weapons is in clear violation of the Charter, he stressed.
SATYENDRA PRASAD (Fiji), speaking on behalf of the Pacific Islands Forum, said: “The Charter cannot simply be worn like a prestigious cloak only to be discarded when perceived geopolitical interests are at stake.” He strongly condemned the latest threats of the Russian Federation to use nuclear weapons against Ukraine “and possibly others” and emphasized that as a permanent member of the Security Council, the Russian Federation has an even greater responsibility to uphold the Charter of the United Nations. The Pacific Islands Forum thus calls for that country to cease its attempted illegal annexations of Ukrainian territory, to de-escalate the current situation and to withdraw to its internationally recognized borders, he said.
Speaking in his national capacity, he urged the Secretary‑General to use all available tools through his good offices to end the war. For its part, the Security Council must work to restore trust in the Charter and faith in the promise of the United Nations. Emphasizing the conflict’s impact on the entire world, especially in the Global South, at a time of manifold challenges, including climate change and a potential full-blown economic crisis, he said: “The war on Ukraine must end to give the world a fighting chance.”
SILVIO GONZATO, representative of the European Union, in its capacity as observer, condemned today’s attacks on Kyiv and other cities across Ukraine by the Russian Federation. Such indiscriminate attacks on civilians are war crimes and perpetrators will be held to account, he said. In the past week, the European Union facilitated a resolution condemning the Russian Federation’s organization of illegal referenda and its subsequent attempt to illegally annex Ukraine’s territory. He urged all Member States to co-sponsor and vote in favour of the text. “If we do not condemn the actions of the Russian Federation in Ukraine today, then we condone similar blatant attacks on any and all of our countries tomorrow,” he warned. He then rejected and condemned the illegal annexation of Ukraine's Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions and called on all States and international organizations to do so as well.
FERIDUN HADI SINIRLIOĞLU (Turkiye) said the war must cease. The Assembly session is being held because the Security Council failed its primary responsibility. He said he woke up to the shocking news this morning of the attacks by the Russian Federation. He supported Ukraine’s territorial integrity and rejected the alleged referenda, calling the attempts to annex Ukrainian territory illegal and a grave violation of international law. The annexation only serves to jeopardize the prospects for peace. The Russian Federation should reverse its decision and return to diplomacy, he stressed, adding that conflicts should be resolved through peaceful means. Turkiye has sponsored a draft resolution that will be put forward this week, he said. Stressing that Turkiye did not want war in the region, he called for negotiations to end the hostilities.
BURHAN GAFOOR (Singapore) expressed disappointment and concern that the war in Ukraine has escalated with mounting casualties. The recent decision by the Russian Federation to organized referenda and annex four regions within Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders is not only a further escalation but also a clear violation of international law and the Charter, he said. Sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity must be respected. For small States, these are not matters of academic debate but rather of life and death, he emphasized while adding that a system based on the idea that might is right is unacceptable. As a co-sponsor of the draft resolution, he urged Member States to send a clear signal that international law must be upheld by voting in support.
MARITZA CHAN VALVERDE (Costa Rica), in noting that the meeting is occurring in the Assembly Hall and not in the Trusteeship Council, reminded all that States can no longer take the territory of others. Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia and Crimea are all Ukraine, she stressed while condemning the shelling that ravaged Ukrainian communities over the weekend. The international community must fear power with impunity and vanquish it with bravery, she urged. Costa Rica stands in solidarity with the people from Ukraine and the Russian Federation who do not benefit from this neo-imperial transgression, she said. In spotlighting human rights violations, she called for all parties to comply with international law. The Russian Federation, she continued, must end its nuclear blackmail and abide by its obligations. States should not recognize annexations and must demand their end, the prevalence of law over force, the absence of impunity and a peaceful and negotiated solution, she emphasized.
KRZYSZTOF MARIA SZCZERSKI (Poland) said the United Nations Charter desperately needs the international community’s defence and condemned sham referendums which cannot lead to any binding action. The upcoming vote on the draft resolution should be a strong and resounding yes. Not condemning the attempted annexation of Ukrainian territory undermines the international legal order, he said, and called on all Member States to speak out in defence of the territorial integrity of Ukraine and of its sovereign independence. He urged Member States to reject the Russian Federation’s illegal annexation attempt and vote yes for upholding the international legal order.
ARRMANATHA CHRISTIAWAN NASIR (Indonesia) said it is “crystal clear” that the dispute between nations could only be solved through diplomacy. War only leads to death and destruction. The events of the last few hours and days underscore this. He reiterated his Government’s calls to end the war. The international community must work harder to ensure peace prevails, he said, stressing peace must be the ultimate priority. Innocent people caught in the crossfire are victims to war. But also, billions of people, particularly the world’s poor, have become unintended victims of this war, as the price of food and energy has skyrocketed in recent months. He urged the General Assembly to avoid a “take it or leave it” approach and expressed regret that calls for a peaceful resolution failed to be included in today’s draft resolution. Peaceful resolutions cannot be held back by divisions, he stressed.
VANESSA FRAZIER (Malta), aligning herself with the European Union, fully supported the resumption of the Assembly’s emergency session and condemned the most recent attack against Kyiv and other cities. These are attacks against civilians and are war crimes, she said. As a member of the veto initiative, she firmly believed the Assembly has a duty to react to violations of international law. She condemned attempts by the Russian Federation to annex the areas through sham referenda, which are a blatant violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and show a complete disregard for international law. Stressing that the Security Council is responsible for international peace and security, she said the use of the veto in this situation is reprehensible and the rest of the United Nations membership must strongly reject this use.
YOKA BRANDT (Netherlands), aligning herself with the European Union, said her country would never recognize the sham referenda and illegal attempts to annex Ukrainian territory. The Netherlands continues to stand firmly with Ukraine and will continue to provide support for as long as it takes, she added. Calling upon Member States to hold the Russian Federation to account and make clear that might is not right, she reminded all that the veto does not provide a blank check. “Our international rule book is no longer just in jeopardy. It has been trampled by a permanent member of the Security Council,” she emphasized. Those responsible for violating the Charter and committing atrocities must be held to account. As the Hague is the legal capital of the world, the Netherlands has a special responsibility and will not waver in its efforts to achieve justice for those who suffer from sexual violence, deportation, torture and random killing, she stressed. She condemned today’s attacks, renewed her country’s call on the Russian Federation to suspend its military operations and called on Member States to vote in favour.
ANNE FRANÇOISE DOSTERT (Luxembourg), associating herself with the statement made by the European Union, condemned the aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine and its deadly missile attacks launched today against Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities. Today’s meeting allows all Member States to speak on a subject of concern to everyone. Faced with Security Council’s paralysis, the General Assembly now has the responsibility to uphold the principles of the United Nations Charter. In these difficult times, Member States must particularly stress the principle that all countries should refrain from threatening the political independence and territorial sovereignty of any other state, she said. Any attempt at annexation of territory violates the Charter, has no legal value, and must be condemned. Today’s draft text is precise, she said, urging all Member States to vote for it. What is happening in Ukraine today, can happen to other nations tomorrow if the principles of the United Nations are not upheld, she warned.
JOSÉ ALFONSO BLANCO CONDE (Dominican Republic) reaffirmed his delegation’s commitment to the international order. He said it is gravely concerning to see the principles of the Charter repeatedly violated. Recent events indicate that the conflict threatens to expand as the spaces for dialogue and a peaceful solution narrow. The move of the Russian Federation to decree the annexation of the Ukrainian territory is disturbing. The discussion of this issue is painful as it is a situation that violates the human rights of people in the area of conflict while placing the entire world on the brink of disaster, he said. It is difficult to endure these human rights violations and the fact that the Council cannot act, he said, pointing to the abuse of the veto in the Council. There is no other alternative but to appeal to the parties involved to exercise good sense, he concluded.
ALBANA DAUTLLARI (Albania) said the referenda organized in a rush and at gunpoint demonstrated that there is no international law, United Nations Charter nor Constitution of Ukraine for the Russian Federation. Albania does not recognize the sham referenda and stands in full support of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognizing borders. Describing the attempts of the Russian Federation to compare the independence of Kosovo with the illegal annexation of Ukraine as “wrong” and “cynical”, she said “no attempt to compare the incomparable nor shortcut out of any historical and political context will help Russia divert attention from its war of choice in Ukraine or hide its blatant breach of international law.” In recalling the veto of the Russian Federation of the Security Council text tabled by Albania and the United States, she noted that the Russian Federation cannot veto the Assembly. By voting in favour, Member States are voting for rules, order, justice, core principles, peace and security, she emphasized.
JOCHEN HANS-JOACHIM ALMOSLECHNER (Austria), associating himself with the European Union, said that Member States have a duty to call for an end to the illegal acts of the Russian Federation in Ukraine. That is particularly important for neutral countries such as Austria which depend on respect for international law, treaties and customs for their security. The Security Council’s failure to act must be discussed and the Secretary‑General’s “New Agenda for Peace” is an opportunity to do so, he said. In the meantime, the Assembly must send a strong signal that the world does not accept this blatant breach of the Charter. He went on to say that “this senseless Russian aggression has plunged the whole world into peril” and that the threat of nuclear weapons is an unacceptable violation of Charter principles.
CHRISTIAN WENAWESER (Liechtenstein) said the aggression of the Russian Federation goes hand in hand with its attempt to deface the fundamental concepts of international law. But the law is clear, and it is the international community’s collective duty to uphold it, he added. The attempt of the Russian Federation to forcibly annex Ukrainian territory is just its latest crime of aggression. Russian leadership must be held to account. The Russian Federation makes a mockery of the right to self-determination and its attempt to fabricate election results through blackmail and intimidation “evokes the worst memories of colonial oppression and imperialism”. These acts are not new but just the latest from a playbook that the Russian Federation has used in Syria and Chechnya as well, he added.
PASCALE CHRISTINE BAERISWYL (Switzerland), emphasizing the importance of a rules-based international order, said: “We cannot tolerate that the power of the strongest prevails over the rights of the weakest.” The Russian Federation must de-escalate and withdraw its forces from Ukrainian territory, whose annexation violates Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, she added. She called on the Russian Federation to immediately stop indiscriminate attacks on residential areas in Ukraine, reiterated Switzerland’s call for strict respect of international humanitarian law and human rights and appealed for swift and unhindered humanitarian access throughout Ukraine and in areas occupied by the Russian Federation. In line with its humanitarian tradition, Switzerland reiterates its offer of good offices, she added.
BARBARA WOODWARD (United Kingdom) said over seven months into the war, the whole world understands the terrible cost of the Russian Federation’s invasion. Even today, millions across Ukraine awoke to the sound of air raid sirens as the Russian Federation carried out one of the largest bombardments of civilian areas and infrastructure of the war, she said. As a result of the invasion, everyone’s lives around the world have been made more difficult and insecure. At Headquarters in New York, the cost is seen in terms of damage to the United Nations Charter. To the principle that no threat or use of force shall be made against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. If any rouge Head of State can, by force or fiat, change the borders of another Member State, then there can be no way to resolve disputes or to achieve the fundamental goals of the United Nations. She reiterated the United Kingdom’s call for the Russian Federation to end the war and to honour the Charter, and urged delegations to vote in favour of the draft resolution.
JUAN RAMÓN DE LA FUENTE RAMÍREZ (Mexico) said his delegation will vote in favour of today’s draft text, a position grounded in support for stringent compliance with United Nations principles. Mexico has been a victim of invasions and cannot allow other countries to fall victim to such acts of aggression. There is no place for false dichotomies, he said, adding that one principle cannot be upheld while another violated. For example, the right to self-determination cannot violate the principle of sovereignty and territorial integrity. The so-called referenda held by the Russian Federation lack all legal standing. Given that a referendum was held during an armed conflict, any expression of popular will is null and void. It is not possible through a veto to eliminate or discredit international norms and legal institutions, he added, encouraging Member States to consider suspending the use of the veto in incidents of mass atrocities.