NEW YORK – UN- GNUSA/ Revekka Papadopoulou
Photos: GANP/ DIMITRIOS PANAGOS
The United Nations Security Council adopted on February 24 a resolution that implores a swift end to the conflict and urges a lasting peace between Ukraine and the Russian Federation.
The resolution, introduced by the United States, received 10 votes in favor, none against, and five abstentions, including France, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Greece, and Slovenia.
Before the vote, U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Dorothy Shea noted that her country’s draft text is “a symbolic, simple first step towards peace”, adding that it “is not a peace deal”. Rather, it represents a path to peace.
All five proposed amendments—three proposed by the European Council members (E5)—Denmark, France, Greece, Slovenia, and the UK – and two from Russia—either failed to gain sufficient support or were blocked by a permanent member’s (Russian Federation) veto.
The meeting was requested by Ukraine, supported by Denmark, France, Greece, Panama, the Republic of Korea (ROK), Slovenia, the UK, and the US to mark the three-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022.
Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo detailed the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. According to the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR) “at least 12,654 Ukrainian civilians, including 673 children, have been killed. Another 29,392, including 1,865 children, have been injured,” DiCarlo said adding that more than 10 million Ukrainians remain uprooted – 3.6 million displaced within Ukraine, and 6.9 million seeking refuge abroad”.
