The United Nations General Assembly has voted to demand that Russia stop its offensive and immediately withdraw all troops, with world powers and tiny island states alike condemning Moscow. The vote on Wednesday saw 141 states vote in favour of the motion, five against and 35 abstentions. The vote came after the 193-member assembly convened its first emergency session since 1997. The only countries to vote with Russia were Belarus, Syria, North Korea and Eritrea. Cuba spoke in Moscow’s defence but ultimately abstained.
meanwhile, assembly resolutions are not legally binding but can reflect and influence world opinion. In a related development, more than one million people have fled Ukraine since the invasion, according to the UN. Also, the European Union estimates that up to four million people may try to leave the country in total. Poland has so far taken in more than 575 thousand people since the conflict began, the Polish Border Guard agency says.
Chidozie Chima | August 29, 2024
