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Ukraine invasion: You cannot veto our voices – U.S tells Russia

Published

3 years ago

February 26, 2022

United States Ambassador to the UN, Ms Linda Thomas-Greenfield, on Friday, told her Russian counterpart, Amb. Vasily Nebenzya that he could not veto the voices of countries speaking against invasion of Ukraine..

Thomas-Greenfield said this after Russia vetoed a UN Security Council resolution that would have demanded that Moscow immediately stop its attack on Ukraine and withdraw all troops, a move several Council members said was deplorable, but inevitable.

Although Russia, a permanent member of the Council, refused to support the draft resolution, 11 of the 15-member UN body voted in favour while India, China and the United Arab Emirates abstained from the vote.

“You can veto this resolution, but you cannot veto our voices; cannot veto the truth; cannot veto our principles; cannot veto the Ukrainian people; cannot veto the UN Charter…and you will not veto accountability,” she said.

The U.S. Ambassador attested that the United States would continue to stand with Ukraine against Russia’s aggression.

In the draft resolution, which her country had helped craft, Thomas-Greenfield painted a picture of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that was “so bold, so brazen,” that it threatens the international system “as we know it”.

UK Ambassador, Ms Dame Woodward described how women and children in Kiev, pensioners in Odessa and people all over Ukraine are “sheltering from Russia’s onslaught”.

She upheld that the draft resolution sends “a message to the world that the rules we built together must be defended because otherwise, who will be next”.

Moreover, President Vladimir Putin’s “massive invasion” of Ukraine to remove the government is “a naked aggression” that must be condemned, Woodward added.

After the vote, the UK Ambassador pointed out that Russia was the only Council Member to vote against the draft.

“Make no mistake, Russia is isolated, it has no support for the invasion of Ukraine,” she said, noting that history will record what has happened today and that the United Kingdom stands “firmly in support” of the Ukrainian people and will hold Russia accountable.

After voting for the failed resolution, France’s Ambassador, Nicolas de Rivière, said that Russia’s “premediated aggression” is killing civilians and destroying infrastructure with the goal of rebuilding the Russian empire.

While other members expressed their commitment to international law, Russia vetoed it.

“Russia is alone,” he observed, adding that “within the UN and in all bodies, France will continue to mobilize with its partners to support Ukraine and the Ukrainian people”.