141 countries, including Nepal, have voted in favor ofthe resolution calling for an end to the war in Ukraine. At the 11th emergencyspecial session of the United Nations in New York on Thursday, most of thecountries voted in favor of a new resolution calling for an end to the war inUkraine in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations (UN), whichdemanded that Russia withdraw its forces from Ukraine.
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Friday marks one year since the attack. Russia attacked after Ukraine said it would join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
While 141 member states including Nepal voted in favor of the resolution, seven countries - Belarus, North Korea, Eritrea, Mali, Nicaragua, Russia and Syria - voted against the resolution. 32 countries, including Nepal's two neighbors India and China, were absent from the voting. The League of Nations has 193 members. The emergency new resolution "calls on Russia to immediately, fully and unconditionally withdraw all its military forces from the territory of Ukraine and cease hostilities." The session, through a resolution, urged member states to cooperate in a spirit of unity in addressing the global impact of war on food security, energy, finance, environment and nuclear safety and security. It also called on all nations to support the Secretary-General's efforts to build lasting peace and address the effects of war.
Earlier, Nepalcriticized Russia's attack, in the UN and voted in favor of Ukraine. Regardingthe Russia-Ukraine crisis, Nepal voted to call for an emergency special sessionof the UN on February 27 of last year, on February 28 at the Human RightsCommission in Geneva to discuss the events in Ukraine, and on March 2 at the UNemergency meeting, it voted on the resolution against the Russian militaryattack on Ukraine.
Two days after Russia invaded Ukraine, Nepal reacted against it. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal issued a statement on the Russia-Ukraine issue on February 24 last year emphasizing that the sovereignty and geographical integrity of any nation are inviolable and should be respected by all. Nepal had opposed the use of force against any sovereign nation stating that the two separate states announced by Russia were against the recognition of independent nations and the United Nations Charter. Besides, Nepal also expressed the belief that the dispute can be resolved through diplomacy and dialogue. Even though Nepal previously recognized Israel, it stood in favor of the Palestinian people's right to self-determination. Similarly, the United States and Britain supported the apartheid regime in South Africa while opposing apartheid, Opposed the war in Vietnam, opposed the Soviet Union's invasions first of Hungary and Czechoslovakia, and later of Afghanistan. The Soviet Union opposed the invasions, first in Hungary and Czechoslovakia, and later in Afghanistan. However, on June 3, 2020, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spoke about the Nepalese government's support for China's repression in Hong Kong.
