The UN Security Council convened on Friday night to discuss Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. A bill submitted to the Security Council by the United States and Albania condemned Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and called for its immediate withdrawal from Ukraine.
Although it was clear that Russia was exercising its veto power as a permanent member of the Security Council, China, India and the United Arab Emirates also abstained.
“We are here tonight because we believe, along with Ukraine, that a full-scale, further invasion into Ukraine by Russia is imminent,” said Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield U.S. Representative to the United Nations.
“This is a perilous moment. And we are here for one reason and one reason only: to ask Russia to stop. Return to your borders. Send your troops, and your tanks, and your planes back to their barracks and hangars. And send your diplomats to the negotiating table. Back away from the brink, before it is too late,” said the Ambassador.
“China is deeply concerned about the latest developments of the situation in Ukraine,” said Zhang Jun, Permanent Representative of China to the UN. “Currently, it has come to the point which we do not want to see. We believe that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states should be respected, and that the purposes and principles of the UN Charter should be jointly upheld,” Zhang Jun said at the UNSC meeting. He continued, “We have always called on all parties to seek reasonable solutions to address each other’s concerns through peaceful means on the basis of equality and mutual respect. We welcome and encourage all efforts for a diplomatic solution, and support the Russian Federation and Ukraine in resolving the issue through negotiations.”
