In an overwhelming 141-5 vote, the United Nations General Assembly moved to condemn Russia’s attack on Ukraine and demand the Kremlin to immediately stop their invasion.
Thirty-five countries were abstentions and the four countries that joined Russia to oppose the measure were Belarus, Syria, North Kora and Eritrea.
The resolution also called on Russia to retract their recognition of Ukraine’s two separatist regions as “independent” and urged Belarus to refrain from involvement.
Even countries, like Cuba, that normally back Russia voted in favor of the measure. Cuban Ambassador Pedro Luis Cuesta defended Russia as recently as Tuesday, saying that the U.S.’s insistence on expanding NATO did not take into consideration Russia’s security.
Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzia made a case to countries to vote against the resolution.
“This document will not allow us to end military activities. On the contrary, it could embolden Kyiv radicals and nationalists to continue to determine the policy of their country at any price,” Nebenzia warned.
The resolution is non-binding, but still, it cemented its place in history.
“It is not just about Ukraine, not just about Europe. It is about defending an international order based on rules we all have signed up to,” said European Union ambassador to the UNOlof Skoog.
“This is about whether we choose tanks and missiles or dialogue and diplomacy. The Russian government stands increasingly alone. The world has stated that it must immediately stop the aggression, withdraw its troops, and abide by the rules of the U.N. Charter,” he continued.
President Joe Bidenechoed Skoog’s statement and called the session a demonstration of “unprecedented global unity.”
“An overwhelming majority of the world recognizes that if we do not stand up to Putin’s Russia, it will only inflict further chaos and aggression on the world,” Biden added in a statement.
