UNITED NATIONS, United States (AFP) – Moscow asked Wednesday to postpone again a UN Security Council vote on a resolution it drafted about the “humanitarian” situation in Ukraine, where Russian troops have launched an all-out assault.
Some diplomats believe, however, that the text could ultimately be abandoned due to lack of support from Russia’s allies.
Discussions are also underway, according to other diplomatic sources, to allow Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to speak to the United Nations General Assembly.
The assembly could vote on a humanitarian aid resolution for the country “very soon,” the sources said.
Russia filed a draft resolution Tuesday on the “deteriorating humanitarian situation in Ukraine” and requested a vote for the following day. Moscow then changed its mind and asked for the vote to be moved to Thursday.
The goal now is Friday morning, Russian Deputy Ambassador to the UN Dmitry Polyanskiy told AFP.
That is unless the vote is postponed indefinitely, said a diplomat on condition of anonymity, referring to talks Wednesday that did not make much progress.
“The Russians are not sure they will have the minimum support” they were hoping for, the diplomat said, referring to China and India.
Those two council members abstained on February 25 during the vote on an American-Albanian resolution condemning Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
The council’s three African members could vote against Russia’s draft, as is already expected from the six Western nations, further isolating Moscow.
Asked by reporters about Zelensky potentially addressing the general assembly, Mona Juul, ambassador to the UN for non-permanent Security Council member Norway, responded positively.
“Off the cuff, that sounds like a good idea,” she said ahead of the delivery to the body of a French-Mexican draft resolution calling for a “cessation of hostilities,” protection for civilians and humanitarian aid routes.
When asked about a date for the vote on the new resolution, Mexican Ambassador to the UN Juan Ramon de la Fuente Ramirez said one could come “very soon.”
“In the following days,” he said. “We need to move up.”
The General Assembly earlier this month massively approved a resolution condemning Russia’s February 24 invasion of its neighbor.
That resolution received 141 votes in favor, five votes against and 35 abstentions.
© Agence France-Presse
