The United Nations General Assembly convened at 3:00 p.m. this afternoon in an Emergency Special Session to begin debate on a resolution drafted by EU Ambassador Olof Skoog, Ukraine and other nations to condemn Russia’s “attempted illegal annexations” of the “Ukrainian” regions of Donetsk, Lugansk, Zaporozhye and Kherson. It includes earlier statements by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres that Russia’s incorporation of the four regions is a violation of the UN Charter and of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and that the “so-called referenda” on their joining the Russian Federation are invalid under international law.
The U.S. and its NATO allies are desperate to get their resolution approved after Russia vetoed a similar resolution at the UN Security Council on Sept. 30. At the UNGA, where no country has a veto, a two-thirds majority of nations must be present and vote “yes” for the resolution to pass. Several diplomats who spoke to Politico said that means getting as close as possible to 141 votes. It is expected that debate will go on through Oct. 11 or 12, with voting coming on Oct. 12 at the earliest.
Voice of America quoted Richard Gowan, director of the International Crisis Group’s UN director, who reported that “all eyes will be on the African group.… I suspect that most African members will abstain,” he said, but added that the U.S. “will be encouraging its partners to back the resolution, arguing that it is a vote against colonialism"!
