On 23 February 2023 the UN General Assembly voted to stand firm in its support of Ukraine, one year on from Russia’s illegal invasion. 141 Member States voted in favour of the resolution calling for peace “as soon as possible” and for Russia to withdraw immediately.
The overwhelming support for the resolution entitled “Principles of the Charter of the United Nations underlying a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine” demonstrates that the international community continues to support Ukraine and condemn Russia’s actions that have perpetrated devastating levels of human suffering and destruction. President Putin’s clear breach of international law and the UN Charter has been consistently condemned by the General Assembly over the last 12 months, including when 141 member states first voted to condemn the invasion on 2 March 2022.
UNA-UK welcomes this important outcome, which took place as part of the ongoing Emergency Special Session. We stand with the Ukrainian people and reject in the strongest possible terms Russia’s illegal action as well as escalatory language and acts relating to nuclear weapons, including its recent decision to suspend participation in the New START nuclear arms reduction treaty.
UNA-UK Chair Baroness Joyce Anelay said:
President Putin’s illegal, unprovoked and barbaric invasion of Ukraine has caused the largest forced displacement of people in Europe since the Second World War. It has left over 21.8 million people in humanitarian need. I welcome the action already taken by the UK Government to provide humanitarian, economic and defensive military assistance to Ukraine.
I encourage them to increase the level of that support and work with the United Nations and like-minded countries to ensure that Russia will lose so that freedom may win.
Since the invasion on 24 February 2022, more than 8,000 civilians have been killed in Ukraine and 13,000 injured according to OHCHR. The IOM reports over 19 million people are currently affected by some form of displacement, with 5.4 million people internally displaced. A UN Independent International Commission has found that war crimes, human rights violations and violations of international humanitarian law have been committed in Ukraine.
Globally, hundreds of millions of people were threatened by catastrophic food shortages after exports from the Black Sea were halted as a consequence of the war. In July 2022 the UN was able to broker the landmark Black Sea Grain Deal that has facilitated the export of grain, fertiliser and foodstuff from Ukraine. Importantly, the Resolution reiterates the importance of ongoing efforts by the Secretary-General to promote peace.
António Guterres urged states to support the newly launched appeal for $5.6 billion to help those affected by the conflict. In his appeal for peace he stated:
While prospects may look bleak today, we know that genuine, lasting peace must be based on the Charter and international law. The longer the fighting continues, the more difficult this work will be. We don’t have a moment to lose.
No country should be allowed to redraw the map of the world at gunpoint - Russia’s ongoing abhorrent acts of aggression contravene international law and have perpetrated unacceptable human suffering. With millions in need of humanitarian assistance, we urge the global community to build on this latest resolution to fully support efforts for diplomacy and a people-centred peace process.
Read more:
- Click here to see all of UNA-UK’s resources on Ukraine
- Donate to UN Refugees
- Donate to UN OCHA
- Read the UN’s summary of the Emergency Special Session and read the resolution here
Photo: UN Secretary-General António Guterres addresses the 17th plenary meeting of the resumed General Assembly Eleventh Emergency Special Session of the General Assembly on Ukraine. Credit: UN Photo/Evan Schneider
