INTL 203: Foundations & World Politics (with Dr. Rachel Vanderhill)

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The US blocks a resolution calling for Israel to allow humanitarian corridors into the Gaza Strip, a pause in the fighting, and the lifting of an order for civilians to leave the north of the besieged territory, by using its veto at the UN Security Council. The text–supported by 12 of the 15 members of the Security Council on Wednesday--contained criticism of "heinous terrorist crimes by Hamas" and made no direct reference of Israel. In an attempt to win US support, the draft resolution did not explicitly call for a ceasefire, instead referencing a "humanitarian pause." But the US ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said that the resolution, carefully crafted by Brazilian diplomats, was unacceptable because it made no mention of Israel’s right to self-defense. The UK and Russia abstained.

Tor Wennesland, United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process (UNSCO), reports: “[We] are at the brink of a deep and dangerous abyss that could change the trajectory of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, if not of the Middle East as a whole. After more than a century of conflict and over half-a-century of occupation, we in the international community have failed, collectively, to bring the parties to a just, sustainable political resolution.”

UN Secretary-General António Guterres says that he is 'deeply distressed' by Israel’s announcement of a complete siege of Gaza. Speaking after the Israeli defence minister said he had ordered a cutoff of electricity and deliveries of food, fuel and other supplies to the territory, Guterres said, "The humanitarian situation in Gaza was extremely dire before these hostilities, now it will only deteriorate exponentially."

Comments to the media by Sergiy Kyslytsya (Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the UN), Linda Thomas-Greenfield (Permanent Representative of the United States to the UN), and Olof Scoog (European Union Ambassador to the United Nations), following the vote on draft resolution on territorial integrity of Ukraine, defending the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.

The United Nations General Assembly overwhelmingly votes to condemn Russia's annexations of parts of Ukraine after Moscow vetoed a similar effort in the Security Council. The General Assembly approves the resolution with 143 in favor and five against, but 35 nations abstain, including China, India, South Africa and Pakistan, despite a major US diplomatic effort to seek clearer condemnation of Moscow.

The United Nations General Assembly voted to reject Russia's call for the 193-member body to hold a secret ballot later this week on whether to condemn Moscow's move to annex four partially occupied regions in Ukraine.

Russia blocked a UN Security Council resolution condemning the annexation by using its veto power. India and China, who chose (along with Brazil and Gabon) to abstain, have called for a negotiated way out of the war.

Secretary-General António Guterres today said that any decision by the Russian Federation to proceed with the annexation of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions of Ukraine “would have no legal value and deserves to be condemned.” "Any annexation of a State’s territory by another State resulting from the threat or use of force is a violation of the Principles of the UN Charter and international law.”

President Zelensky speaks to the crimes committed by the Russian Federation against Ukraine (including attacks on civilians and on nuclear-power plants), asks that the UN help bring Russia to justice, and presents a "formula" for peace and global security in accordance with the principles of the UN.

In his remarks to the Security Council, Secretary-General António Guterres said that despite progress on the humanitarian front, “fighting in Ukraine shows no signs of ending, with new potential areas of dangerous escalation appearing.” He specified that “any actions that might endanger the physical integrity, safety, or security of the nuclear-power plants are simply unacceptable. Any further escalation of the situation could lead to self-destruction.” He also warned that if the war continues, it could disrupt the distribution of fertilizer from Ukraine and Russia around the world, which disruption could lead to a shortage in the world's food supply in 2023.

"Russia must immediately suspend military operations in Ukraine," the UN International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled. The court’s ruling--the first such verdict handed down by the world court since the Russian invasion began--is in response to a suit filed by Ukraine on 27 February, accusing Russia of manipulating the concept of genocide to justify its military aggression.

UN chief of political affairs Rosemary DiCarlo tells the Security Council that the war in Ukraine is “the most severe test” the Organization for Security & Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has faced since its creation, adding that “the Russian invasion has shaken the foundations of the European security architecture to its core.”

Excerpt from full meeting of General Assembly. The resolution A/ES-11/L.1 was passed with 141 votes yes, 5 no, and 35 abstentions. The resolution needed a two-third majority of yes/no votes to pass. Ninety-six member states co-sponsored the resolution.

Sergiy Kyslytsya, Ukraine's permanent representative to the UN, made a powerful statement after Russia vetoed a Security Council vote.

Russia vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution on Friday demanding that Moscow immediately stop its attack on Ukraine and withdraw all troops, a defeat the United States and its supporters knew was inevitable but said would highlight Russia’s global isolation. The vote was 11 in favor, with Russia voting no and China, India and the United Arab Emirates abstaining, which showed significant but not total opposition to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion.

It is too late to speak about the escalation (of Russian hostilities), Ukraine's ambassador to UN Sergiy Kyslytsya tells the United Nations Security Council.