UN Rejects Russia's Call For Secret Vote on Ukraine Amid Rising Global Tensions

The United Nations rejected Russia's calls for a secret vote on Ukraine amid rising tensions after Kyiv's leaders condemns Moscow as a "terrorist state" over its ongoing invasion.

The remarks from Ukrainian authorities came during a United Nations General Assembly meeting that was initially called to discuss Russia's annexation of four partly-occupied regions in Ukraine. The country's ambassador to the UN, Sergiy Kyslytsya, said that Moscow has once again proven that it is a terrorist state that must be deterred in the strongest possible ways.

UN Rejects Russia's Request

Kyslytsya added that his own immediate family has come under attack by Russian forces, arguing that with Moscow's determination, there was no opportunity to call for a stable and sane peace.

The Ukrainian official told member states at the assembly that at least 14 civilians lost their lives and 97 others were wounded in the attacks, which began on Monday morning. Russia's Vassily Nebenzia responded but did not directly address the recent missile strikes and defended his country's annexation of the four regions, as per Aljazeera.

Nebenzia said that other world leaders accused Russia of being a terrorist state while it was only trying to protect its people in eastern Ukraine. Later in the week, the assembly is set to vote on a draft resolution condemning Russia's "attempted illegal annexations" of the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia, and Kherson.

The annexation followed so-called referendums, which many countries and leaders have called a sham, stressing that they have no validity under international law. The resolution calls on all states, international organizations, and agencies not to recognize the annexations and demands the immediate withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine.

According to the Voice of America News, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Sept. 29 that the UN charter is clear, which notes that any annexation of a state's territory by another state resulting from the threat or use of force is a violation of the principles of the UN Charter and international law.

Moscow as a Terrorist State

The UN chief added that any attempt to annex the four Ukrainian regions would have no legal value and would result in a dangerous escalation of tensions. The day after Guterres' remarks, Russia exercised its veto in the UN Security Council to block a resolution condemning its actions.

The situation has prompted a move to the General Assembly, where no state has any right to a veto. Nebenzia circulated a letter to member states on Oct. 4, where he called the move to the assembly "clearly politicized and provocative."

On top of the discussions, countries will be asked to state their stance on the issue by voting on a resolution that condemns Russia's move to annex Ukrainian territory. European Union Ambassador Olof Skoog said that it was clinically focused on the legality or illegality of Russia's actions and decisions.

Russia's call for the 193-member body to hold a secret ballot later this week on whether or not to condemn Moscow's move was rejected with 107 votes in favor of the decision. On Monday, only 13 countries opposed holding a public vote on the draft resolution while another 39 nations abstained, and the remaining countries, which include China and Russia, did not vote on the matter, Reuters reported.