Borrell warns at the UN that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine doesn’t just affect the West

Borrell warned the UN that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was not a conflict just for the West.

The head of European diplomacy, Joseph Borrell insured before United Nations General Assembly that Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine does not just amount to a “West versus Russia” conflict, but affects everyone equally: North, South, East and west.”

Borrell intervened this Wednesday in the emergency session vote one resolution calling for the cessation of hostilities in Ukraine, on the first anniversary of the war, and replied almost verbatim to the Russian Ambassador, Vasily Nebenzia who a few minutes earlier had insisted that the Ukrainian conflict corresponded to “a Western plan” to “destroy Russia”.

Nebenzia defined “the West” as the sum of the United States, the European Union and NATO, which according to him “have taken off their mask” and want “maintain Western hegemony in the world, who see the world as their property”.

West -said Nebenzia- he is inciting this war “with weapons, with a hybrid war, with his arms lobby”, and this war is nothing more than “a war for the survival of our identity like eighty years ago (in reference to the Second World War) against enemies who wanted to dismember our country”.

Russia, which repeated its thesis that the West is waging a proxy war and Ukraine is only an instrument, also replied that “many of you (UN countries) have already understood that it’s a crusade against russia”.

Nebenzia warned that if the resolution presented by Ukraine and the EU is not amended according to the proposals of its Belarusian ally, “it will not contribute to peace” because it will express a one-sided point of view”.

The resolution approved by the Assembly will not be binding but mainly symbolic, but the 68 countries already sponsoring it stress its importance because it will send “a strong message to Russia that it must sit down at a negotiating table”. (AP)

Borrell, in addition to denying this West versus Russia dichotomy, recalled that “if we do not condemn russia’s actions in ukraine today, it increases the risk of another country in another part of the world suffering a similar assault”.

The European diplomat underlined that the EU and Ukraine, when preparing the resolution, “have been as transparent and inclusive as possible” and have accepted many amendments, but there are several non-negotiable principles: “That Russia end all attacks and withdraw all its forces and military equipment from Ukraine immediately, completely and unconditionally”.

It remains to be seen whether the EU-sponsored resolution manages to match or exceed the 143 votes, which has been the greatest support collected by Ukraine last October.

The resolution approved by the Assembly will not be binding. but above all symbolic, but the 68 countries who are already sponsoring it stress its importance as it will send “a strong message to Russia that it should sit in a negotiation table”, as the United States Ambassador to the UN pointed out on Tuesday, Lisa Thomas Greenfield.

The Assembly has become the only United Nations forum where resolutions can be approved, given the ineffectiveness of the Security Councilwhere he Russia’s right of veto prevented the adoption of a single resolution on the war in Ukraine after a year of conflict.

The resolution contains the call for a “cessation of hostilities” which must be followed by negotiations between the parties, emphasizing the central role of Charter of the United Nations and the territorial integrity of States, which implies a withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian territoryaccording to European sources explained to journalists.