UN General Assembly to vote on Ukraine resolution

The United Nations General Assembly will on Thursday vote on a resolution on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine.

Due to the large number of speakers, not all country representatives were able to appear before the largest UN body in New York on Wednesday.

The resolution in question is a text clearly directed against Russia, which was introduced by Ukraine and which Western diplomats hope will be adopted by a large majority.

But there is also a much more neutral text proposal from South Africa that does not mention Moscow as an aggressor, which could cost the first draft votes.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday Russia failed in its attempt to get its own humanitarian resolution on the Ukraine conflict passed in the UN Security Council.

Moscow did not get the required nine yes votes from the 15-strong UN body for that resolution.

Only China joined Russia to vote in favour of the text.

The remaining 13 countries abstained.

Since Russia is the aggressor in the Ukraine conflict, Western countries in particular have described the country’s introduction of a humanitarian resolution as “cynical” and an “insult.” (dpa/NAN)