Armenia was among 35 countries that abstained in the voting on Wednesday of a resolution condemning Russia’s military incursion into Ukraine at a special emergency session of the United Nations General Assembly.
The international body overwhelmingly adopted a symbolic resolution demanding that Russia immediately end its military operations in Ukraine.
The resolution passed with the support of 141 of the 193 members, in a rare session called by the U.N. Security Council, of which Russia is a member. The last time the Security Council convened an emergency session of the General Assembly was in 1982
Russia was joined by Belarus, Eritrea, North Korea and Syria in voting against the resolution.
U.N. General Assembly resolution demands end to Ukraine war
The UN General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted a resolution on Wednesday demanding that Russia immediately end its military operations in Ukraine.
The resolution, supported by 141 of the assembly’s 193 members, passed in a rare emergency session called by the U.N. Security Council.
The last time the Security Council convened an emergency session of the General Assembly was in 1982.
Russia was joined by Thirty-five members, including Armenia, abstained.
The four-page resolution passed Wednesday calls for an immediate halt to the conflict, urges diplomatic negotiations for a peaceful resolution and says that territorial gain from the threat of force will not be recognized. It demands that Russian forces withdraw immediately, protect civilians and allow the safe passage of humanitarian aid.
The resolution also criticizes Belarus, saying it “deplores” that country’s involvement in the war.
Last week Yerevan voted against a resolution by the Council of Europe to suspend Russia.
Eduard Aghajanyan, the pro-government chairman of the Armenian parliament committee on foreign relations, said on Tuesday that Yerevan objected to the suspension because it stands for a “diplomatic” solution to the conflict in Ukraine.
“The more the diplomatic channels are severed, the lower the likelihood of resolving the issue by diplomatic means,” Aghajanyan told reporters. “It is in this context that Armenia voted against,” according to Azatutyun.am.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Wednesday expressed hope that diplomacy will “silence the artillery.”
“We are deeply saddened by the unfolding events [in Ukraine], which is now clear that will have global repercussions. Our hope is that the Russian-Ukrainian talks scheduled for today will take place, will have results, will diplomacy be able to silence the artillery,” Pashinyan said referring to a second round of talks scheduled on Wednesday between the representatives of Kyiv and Moscow.
