UN Assembly to vote on resolution demanding Russia stop war

United Nations: Country after country, from Europe’s economic powerhouse to a tiny Pacific island nation, have lined up to lash out at Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and urge support for a UN resolution demanding an immediate halt to Moscow’s offensive and withdrawal of all Russian troops.

Russian President Vladimir Putin did have a few supporters Tuesday at the U.N. General Assembly’s emergency session, including Cuba and North Korea. And there were countries that took no position on the draft resolution, such as Surinam and South Africa, which urged compromise and diplomacy to find a lasting resolution to the crisis.

The 193-member General Assembly scheduled a vote on the resolution for Wednesday afternoon after hearing 120 speeches. Unlike Security Council resolutions, General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding but they do have clout in reflecting international opinion.

The final 10 speakers Wednesday morning include a late addition, Russian ally Belarus. Its representative will address the world body just before the United States and is virtually certain to support Moscow’s invasion. The draft resolution “deplores the involvement of Belarus in this unlawful use of force against Ukraine” and calls for it to comply with its international obligations.

As of late Tuesday, the resolution had 94 co-sponsors, including several surprises to U.N. diplomats — Afghanistan, where the Taliban ousted the elected government last August, and Myanmar, where the military overthrew the elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi on Feb. 1, 2021. —AP