141 countries vote to condemn Russia at UN
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141 countries voted in favor of a UN General Assembly resolution "deploring" Russia's aggression against Ukraine and demanding the immediate and complete withdrawal of all Russian forces from Ukrainian territory.
Why it matters: The resolution is non-binding, but reflects Russia's historic isolation on the world stage just one week into its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
- The full UNGA vote came after Russia vetoed a similar resolution in the 15-member UN Security Council.
- Four countries joined Russia in voting against the resolution — Belarus, North Korea, Eritrea and Syria — while 35 abstained.
Between the lines: Serbia, which has close historical ties with Russia, surprised many observers by voting in favor of the resolution.
- The United Arab Emirates and Israel, two U.S. security partners that have been criticized for declined to speak out against Russia's aggression, also chose to vote for the resolution.
- India, however, abstained. The world's largest democracy has longstanding military ties with Russia from the Soviet era, causing headaches for the U.S. as it seeks to integrate India into an alliance to counter China in the Indo-Pacific.
What they're saying: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky praised the outcome of the vote, tweeting, "I’m grateful to everyone & every state that voted in favor. You have chosen the right side of history."
- The results "convincingly show that a global anti-Putin coalition has been formed and is functioning. The world is with us. The truth is on our side," he added.
Editor's note: This post has been updated with additional details throughout.
