Amidst the ongoing battle between Ukraine and Russia, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) kept a US-sponsored draft resolution, for voting, that condemns Russia’s “aggression” against Ukraine in the “strongest terms”.
India on Friday along with China and UAE abstained from voting on the resolution, which had 11 votes in favour. However, the resolution did not pass as the permanent member Russia, who also presides the UNSC for the month of February, used its veto.
The draft resolution was kept to vote in the UNSC by the US along with Albania and was co-sponsored by several other nations including the UK, Germany, Australia, Italy, New Zealand, Georgia, Norway, Poland, Romania, Estonia, Finland, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein and Lithuania.
The draft resolution in the UNSC said that Russia “shall immediately, completely, and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders, ” adding that it “shall immediately and unconditionally reverse the decision related to the status of certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine.”
In India’s explanation of vote in the resolution, the Indian Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador TS Tirumurti said, “India is deeply disturbed by the recent turn of developments in Ukraine. We urge that all efforts are made for the immediate cessation of violence and hostilities.”
“Dialogue is the only answer to settling differences and disputes, however daunting that may appear at this moment. It is a matter of regret that the path of diplomacy was given up. We must return to it. For all these reasons, India has chosen to abstain on this resolution,” he added.
However, the foreign minister of Ukraine, Dmytro Kuleba took to Twitter to share some excerpts from his telephonic conversation with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar. He tweeted that he has asked “India to use all influence in its relations with Russia to force it to cease military aggression against Ukraine. Urged India as a non-permanent UNSC member to support today’s draft resolution on restoring peace in Ukraine.”
Also, the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi on Thursday “appealed for an immediate cessation of violence, and called for concerted efforts from all sides to return to the path of diplomatic negotiations and dialogue,” during a telephonic conversation with the Russian President, Vladimir Putin.
Also Read: MOSCOW AGGRAVATES UKRAINE CRISIS
