India abstains from UN General Assembly vote underscoring need for ‘lasting peace’ in Ukraine

India abstained in the UN General Assembly resolution that underscored the need for "comprehensive, just and lasting peace" in Ukraine. The 193-member General Assembly adopted the first resolution, put forward by Ukraine and its supporters titled ‘Principles of the Charter of the United Nations underlying a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine'.

The resolution got 141 votes in favour and seven against. India, along with 31 other countries abstained from the resolution that underscored “the need to reach, as soon as possible, a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine in line with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations”. 

The resolution called upon the member states and international organisations to increase their support for diplomatic efforts to achieve lasting peace in Ukraine, consistent with the Charter. It reaffirmed its commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders, extending to its territorial waters and reiterated its demand that Russia immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders, and calls for a cessation of hostilities.

India has abstained on the UN resolutions on Ukraine, but consistently highlighted the need to respect the UN Charter, international law and sovereignty and integrity of the states. India also urged for the immediate cessation of hostilities, and batted for an urgent return to the path of dialogue and diplomacy. 

In his address to the high-level UN General Assembly session last September, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that India is on the side of peace and dialogue and diplomacy. 

It has been a year since Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said, “The one-year mark of Russia's invasion of Ukraine stands as a grim milestone – for the people of Ukraine and for the international community. That invasion is an affront to our collective conscience. It is a violation of the United Nations Charter and international law.”

(With PTI inputs)

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