After the Russian military action started in February, India has never before voted against Russia on the issue of Ukraine. New Delhi has so far refrained from voting on Ukraine at the UN Security Council, much to the chagrin of the Western powers led by the United States.
India cast its first anti-Russian vote on Wednesday during a “procedural vote” on Ukraine at the 15-member, influential UN Security Council, which invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to address a meeting via video teleconference.
After the Russian military action started in February, India has never before voted against Russia on the issue of Ukraine. New Delhi has so far refrained from voting on Ukraine at the UN Security Council, much to the chagrin of the Western powers led by the United States.
Following the aggression, Western countries, including the US, sanctioned Russia severely on the economic and other fronts.
Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has not received criticism from India
Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has not received criticism from India. The Russian and Ukrainian sides have been urged to resume the path of diplomacy and dialogue on numerous occasions, and New Delhi has reaffirmed its support for all diplomatic efforts to put an end to the conflict between the two nations.
India has a two-year non-permanent membership in the UNSC that expires in December.
On the 31st anniversary of Ukraine’s independence, the UNSC convened a meeting on Wednesday to review the conflict, which has been going on for six months.
Vassily A. Nebenzia, the Russian ambassador to the UN, asked for a procedural vote to approve the Ukrainian president’s participation in the meeting via video teleconference as the meeting got underway.
By a vote of 13 in favour to 1 against, the Council invited Zelensky to take part in the meeting via video teleconference after remarks from him and Ferit Hoxha of Albania. China abstained, and Russia voted against the invitation.
Nebenzia insisted that Zelensky’s participation must be in person and that Russia does not object to it. He claimed that although the Council decided to conduct virtual meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic and return to the temporary rules of procedure after the pandemic’s peak, these meetings were informal.
India and 12 other nations Zelensky’s decision
India and 12 other nations disagreed with his request for a procedural vote on the issue and supported Zelensky’s decision to address the Council via video conference. He reiterated that his country’s objection relates specifically to the President’s participation by video teleconference.
Hoxha of Albania asserted that because of the conflict in Ukraine, the President must travel there. He encouraged the other members to follow Zelensky’s lead and supported Zelensky’s participation via video teleconference due to this particular circumstance.
Nebenzia regretted that Council members had voiced their opposition to adhering to the organ’s rules. He expressed disappointment that other members had helped to undermine the Council’s very principles and procedures, saying, “We can understand the logic of Kyiv’s Western backers.”
Soon after, Zelensky demanded that the Russian Federation be held accountable for its crimes of aggression against Ukraine in remarks made during a video conference. All of these Russian murderers will unavoidably end up in other nations, he warned, if Moscow is not stopped immediately.
The future of the world will be decided on Ukrainian soil, he continued. He told the UNSC, “Our independence is your security.”
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