India's Permanent Representative to the UN, TS Tirumurti, called for an immediate cessation of violence and hostilities during the UNSC meeting on Ukraine
New Delhi: US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said after the UNSC vote that was vetoed by Russia: "Russia, you can veto this resolution, but you cannot veto our voices, you cannot veto the truth, you cannot veto our principles, you cannot veto the Ukrainian people."
Of course, the UNSC resolution was always doomed to fail because of Moscow's veto power as a permanent member of the council. But the debate showed some clarity. It gave an opportunity for US and allies to condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin's actions against Ukraine.
Crucially, in the Asian context, both China and India abstained from voting, and so did UAE.
"….No solution can ever be arrived at the cost of human lives", India's Permanent Representative to the UN, TS Tirumurti, said at the UNSC meeting on Ukraine.
"India is deeply disturbed by the recent turn of developments in Ukraine. We urge that all efforts are made for an immediate cessation of violence and hostilities," he said.
The draft of the Resolution "deplores in the strongest terms" the country's "aggression" against Ukraine and demands the immediate withdrawal of its troops. But it was vetoed by Moscow.
"One of the major reasons why India doesn't want to jeopardise its ties with Moscow is that it sees Russia as a guarantor of multipolarity. India favours a world order where multiple powers balance each other out," Michael Kugelman, deputy director of the Asia programme and senior associate for South Asia at the Wilson Center, has been quoted in a section of media.
Eleven of the council's 15 members voted for the motion, co-written by the United States and Albania. Russia, which currently holds the rotating Security Council presidency, is likely to face another vote on a similar resolution before the wider UN General Assembly. However, the UN General Assembly resolution, easy to pass, is non-binding.
"Make no mistake, Russia is isolated. It has no support for the invasion of Ukraine," said Britain's ambassador to the UN, Barbara Woodward.
T S Tirumurti also said, "It is a matter of regret that the path of diplomacy was given up. We must return to it. For all these reasons, India has chosen to abstain on this resolution."
"All member states need to honour these principles in finding a constructive way forward. Dialogue is the only answer to settling differences and disputes, however daunting that may appear at this moment," he said.
China's representative said the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states should be respected, and the purposes and principles of the UN Charter should be upheld.
"… Security of one country cannot come at the cost of undermining the security of other nations," said Zhang Jun.
