Letter dated 28 February 2014 from the Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council (S/2014/136).
In its third emergency meeting on Ukraine this week, Russia vetoed a Security Council draft resolution today (25 Feb) that would have condemned the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine.
Following the vote, US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said, “you can veto this resolution, but you cannot veto our voices. You cannot veto the truth. You cannot veto our principles. You cannot veto the Ukrainian people. You cannot veto the UN Charter, and you will not veto accountability.”
China’s Ambassador Zhang Jun stressed that “faced with a highly complex and sensitive situation, the Security Council should make a necessary response,” but added that “such a response should also be taken with great caution.”
All actions, he said, “should be truly conducive to defusing the crisis rather than adding fuel to fire” and cautioned that “imposing sanctions in may only lead to more casualties, more property loss, a more complicated and chaotic situation and more difficulties in bridging differences. It may completely shut the door to a peaceful solution.”
Addressing Council members, Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya said, “you have made Ukraine a pawn in your geopolitical game with no concern whatsoever about the interest of the Ukrainian people. Responsibility for what is transpiring at present lies not only with the Ukrainian government, but it also lies at your feet, ladies and gentlemen. And today's draft resolution, your draft resolution is nothing other than yet another brutal inhumane move in this Ukrainian chessboard.”
For his part, Ukraine’s Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya said, “last night was the most horrific for Kiev since, just imagine, 1941 when it was attacked by Nazis. Last night was attacked by someone who pretends they are fighting with Neo-Nazism. Therefore, I'm not surprised as Russia voted against. Russia is keen on continuing its Nazi style course of action.”
Eleven countries voted in favour of the resolution while three countries -- China, India and the United Arab Emirates -- abstained from voting.
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