Explanation of vote by Permanent Representative Vassily Nebenzia before the UNSC vote on a draft humanitarian resolution on Ukraine
Mme.President,
At the outset let me underscore that we were very enthusiastic about the initiative of our French and Mexican colleagues who put forward a draft resolution on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine at the beginning of March. Our American and British colleagues, however, torpedoed this draft saying that they did not need it unless it condemned Russia. Other Western members were brought to heel.
As a result, instead of humanitarian aspects we had to engage in politics and mutual accusations. Instead of discussing and working on the text, Western states declared without any reason that the Security Council allegedly was not able to endorse a draft humanitarian resolution on Ukraine proposed by Russia.
Mme.President,
We strongly disagree that the Council is unable to adopt a resolution on the Ukrainian humanitarian file. Today we are putting to vote a draft resolution that is based on the French-Mexican initiative, but free from any politicizing and in that analogous to other humanitarian resolutions of the Council. Humanitarians working on the ground would be very interested in such a document, because a humanitarian resolution of the General Assembly would make little difference for them. Dear colleagues, it is up to you now – you either keep building cynical speculations around humanitarian assistance to Ukraine or you adopt a UNSC resolution that will be an important practical step and a helping hand for the humanitarians on the ground.
