US proposes alternative UN resolution on Ukraine, taking into account Russian amendments
Pravda Ukraine
The United States has presented a draft resolution to the United Nations on the occasion of the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This proposal, which takes into account a Russian amendment, differs significantly from the text prepared by Ukraine and its European allies.
Quote: “The brief three-paragraph US draft resolution, seen by Reuters, mourns the loss of life during the ‘Russia-Ukraine conflict’ and reiterates ‘that the principal purpose of the United Nations is to maintain international peace and security and to peacefully settle disputes’.”
Details: The key feature of the 65-word US version of the draft is the inclusion of Russian amendments.
Russia proposed that the document should include the following text: “implores a swift end to the conflict, including by addressing its root causes, and further urges a lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia”.
In Washington’s text, seen by AFP, there is no mention of Ukraine’s territorial integrity, nor does it contain any criticism of Russia.
Vasily Nebenzya, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, called the US draft resolution “a good step” and stated that if the Russian amendment were accepted, Moscow would be ready to support the US resolution.
According to Nebenzya, US representatives had informed him in advance about the document’s content before it was distributed among the 193 members of the General Assembly.
For reference: The UN General Assembly is set to meet on 24 February to vote on a resolution titled “Achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace for Ukraine”, drafted by Ukraine and the European Union. The document calls on Russia, among other demands, to “immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders”. Last year’s resolution mentioned Russia’s aggression five times.
Similar resolutions were adopted in the previous two years, with the US among their co-authors.
Background:
- Media outlets previously indicated that the US had refused to co-author a UN resolution marking the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which supports Ukraine’s territorial integrity and condemns Russian aggression.
- Washington is reportedly opposing, for the first time, labelling Russia as the aggressor in a joint G7 statement marking the third anniversary of Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and is not approving President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s participation in a virtual G7 summit.
- European states believe that the refusal of the new US administration to call Russia an aggressor may signal their withdrawal from the group of countries preparing a special tribunal for the crime of Russian aggression against Ukraine.
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