Fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine: India abstains on UN ceasefire call

New York: India on Tuesday abstained from voting on a United Nations General Assembly resolution calling for an “immediate, complete and unconditional ceasefire” between Russia and Ukraine.

The draft resolution, titled Support for Lasting Peace in Ukraine, was adopted on the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Of the 193-member Assembly, 107 countries voted in favour, 12 voted against and 51, including India, abstained.

The resolution was introduced by Kyiv and urges a full ceasefire along with efforts towards a just and lasting peace. Other countries that abstained included Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, South Africa, Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates and the United States.

Reacting to the vote, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the 107 nations that backed the measure. In a post on X, he said he was grateful to countries that “stood with Ukraine in defence of life” at the United Nations.

“The General Assembly adopted our resolution in support of a lasting peace, with clear calls for a full ceasefire and the return of our people,” he wrote, adding that these were “the right and necessary steps”. He pledged to continue working with international partners to achieve peace.

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Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres marked the fourth anniversary of the invasion by describing the war as a violation of international law and the UN Charter, and a continuing threat to regional and global peace and security.

In a statement posted on X, Mr Guterres said the conflict remained “a stain on our collective consciousness” and warned that the longer it continued, the deadlier it would become. He noted that civilians continued to bear the brunt of the fighting, with rising casualties reported this year.

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He reiterated his call for an “immediate, full and unconditional ceasefire” as a first step towards a just, lasting and comprehensive peace, stressing that any settlement must respect Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity in line with international law.