UN Emergency Special Session Convened... Discussion Begins on Resolution Condemning Russia's Annexation of Ukraine

Russia demanded a switch to secret voting... but only 13 member states agreed, resulting in rejection
The General Assembly resolution has no legal binding force

UN General Assembly [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] On the 10th (local time), United Nations (UN) member states convened an emergency special session to discuss a resolution condemning Russia's attempt to illegally annex Ukrainian territory. Russia proposed that the General Assembly vote be conducted by secret ballot, but the Assembly decided to hold a public vote on the resolution.

According to major foreign media, UN member states held an emergency special session at the UN headquarters in New York to begin procedures to discuss whether to draft a resolution regarding Russia's signing of treaties to annex four regions?including the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), Luhansk People's Republic (LPR), and the southern Zaporizhzhia and Kherson provinces?as part of its own territory.

The resolution, drafted by the European Union (EU) in coordination with Ukraine, includes points stating that the referendums conducted by Russia in the four regions have no legal effect under international law and demands the immediate withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukraine.

On the day, Russia insisted that the vote in the session should be held in private, but faced opposition from member states and failed to enforce its request. The Russian side argued that if a public vote were held amid pressure from Western countries including the United States, many countries would find it difficult to express their positions honestly.

UN General Assembly votes are generally conducted publicly unless in special cases such as the election of non-permanent members of the Security Council, and to switch to a secret ballot, a vote among member states is required. In the vote conducted among member states that day, only 13 out of 193 member countries opposed a public vote. 107 countries supported it, and 39 abstained.

An anonymous senior official from the U.S. administration told major foreign media regarding Russia's demand, "(Russia) seems unsure of the outcome," adding, "It appears they see no chance of (the resolution) being rejected."

Earlier, in the UN Security Council resolution vote held on the 30th of last month, no council member sided with Russia. Four countries including China, India, and Brazil abstained, taking a passive stance, while the other 10 countries supported the adoption of the resolution. However, the resolution was vetoed by Russia, a permanent member of the Security Council.

This UN General Assembly resolution, unlike the Security Council resolution, has no legal binding force, but no member state can exercise a veto. Each member state has one vote, and the vote to decide the adoption of the resolution is expected to take place around the 12th.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.