The United States has not yet decided whether to support a UN resolution condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine
Kyiv • UNN
The United States is undecided on whether to support the UN resolution on the third anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Washington has not yet decided whether to support a UN resolution on Ukraine on the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion. This was stated in a comment to the Voice of America on February 20 by John Kelly, political coordinator of the US Permanent Mission to the UN, UNN reports.
We have not made a decision on this. Washington is still deciding. So I hope we will make a decision soon
Asked whether the US would vote in favor of the resolution, Kelly said: "We'll have to see what instructions we get from Washington. So hopefully they will come soon.
Reuters reported earlier on Thursday that the United States is refusing to co-sponsor a draft UN resolution on the third anniversary of the war. The resolution supports Ukraine's territorial integrity and again demands that Russia withdraw its troops, three diplomatic sources told the news agency.
The draft document, seen by Reuters, "calls for de-escalation, an early cessation of hostilities and a peaceful resolution of the war against Ukraine... in accordance with the UN Charter and international law.
The resolution also "recalls the need for full implementation of the relevant resolutions adopted in response to the aggression against Ukraine," in particular, it demands that Russia immediately, "fully and unconditionally" withdraw all its military forces from the territory of Ukraine "within its internationally recognized borders.
"In previous years, the United States has consistently co-sponsored such resolutions in support of a just peace in Ukraine," the Reuters source recalled.
Diplomatic sources told the agency that more than 50 countries have sponsored the resolution, but "so far the situation is that they (the United States) will not sign it." At the same time, attempts are underway to gain support in other countries, including the Global South.
Reportedly, a resolution on the third anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine is to be put to a vote at the UN General Assembly on Monday, February 24. General Assembly resolutions are not binding, but carry political weight, reflecting the global view of countries on the Russian war.
At the UN, countries can decide whether to co-sponsor a resolution before the vote.
Other sources also told Reuters that Washington had objected to the phrase condemning Russian aggression in the statement that the Group of Seven countries planned to release next week.
The G7 plans to hold a phone call on Monday, three sources told Reuters, but so far the U.S. has objected to the "Russian aggression" language. A statement released last week by G7 foreign ministers did not mention Russian aggression, but referred to Russia's "devastating war in Ukraine.