India on Thursday absented itself from the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on a resolution moved by the Eastern European country (Ukraine) and its allies regarding the situation of humanitarian crisis in Ukraine due to the war. The 193-member UN General Assembly resumed its 11th emergency special session on Ukraine and Ukraine and its western allies voted on Thursday on a draft resolution on ‘humanitarian consequences of aggression against Ukraine’. The motion was approved with 140 votes. At the same time, 38 countries remained absent and five member countries opposed the proposal.
On Wednesday, India along with 12 other members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) was absent after Russia moved a resolution on the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. The UNSC failed to pass the resolution because it could not get the nine votes it needed. Earlier, India had been absent from voting on resolutions in the Security Council on two occasions and once in the General Assembly on the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The draft resolution on Ukraine in the General Assembly calls for an immediate halt to any Russian attacks against Ukraine, especially against civilians and civilian establishments. There has been a demand for the protection of all civilians trapped in difficult circumstances, including humanitarian personnel, journalists and women and children. Security has also been demanded from all sides, including foreigners fleeing armed conflict and violence. Students have also been called upon to give a free and safe passage.
The resolution stresses that the siege of cities in Ukraine, especially the city of Mariupol, has further aggravated the humanitarian crisis for civilians and hindered evacuation efforts. Therefore, there has been a demand to end these sieges of cities immediately. The resolution said Russian military strikes in Ukraine have created a humanitarian crisis that Europe has not seen in decades. The resolution also reiterated UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’ call for Russia to halt its military operation. There have been calls to stop military aggression and to establish a ceasefire and return to the path of dialogue.
Earlier, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution titled ‘Aggression against Ukraine’ on 2 March, with the 11th emergency special session beginning on 28 February. It strongly condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and demanded that Moscow ‘completely and unconditionally’ withdraw all its military force from the territory of Ukraine. India was absent during the resolution, which was co-sponsored by the 96 UN member states, with 141 votes in favor while 34 countries absent and five countries voted against it.