United Nations: India abstained from voting on a UN General Assembly (UNGA) resolution calling for an end to hostilities and a peaceful resolution to the Russia-Ukraine war. The 193-member UNGA adopted the resolution titled ‘Advancing a Comprehensive, Just and Lasting Peace in Ukraine’ with 93 votes in favour, 65 abstentions, and 18 against.
The resolution, tabled by Ukraine and its European allies, urged de-escalation and reaffirmed the need for Russia’s immediate and unconditional withdrawal from Ukraine’s internationally recognised borders. The UNGA hall broke into applause following its adoption.
The vote came as the war marked its third anniversary, with UN Secretary-General António Guterres warning that the conflict posed a “grave threat” to global peace and security. He called for an “urgent end to hostilities.”
India also abstained on a rival US-backed resolution, ‘The Path to Peace’, which condemned the loss of life in the conflict. A French amendment to the US resolution replaced the phrase “Russian Federation-Ukraine conflict” with “full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation.” The amended resolution passed with 93 votes in favour, 8 against, and 73 abstentions. The Ukraine-backed resolution reiterated demands for accountability for war crimes, the exchange of prisoners of war, and the cessation of attacks on critical infrastructure. Guterres, emphasising the humanitarian toll, noted over 12,600 civilian deaths and renewed his appeal for an immediate ceasefire, declaring, “Enough is enough.”