Kremlin: Europe's 'militarization' could cost it the right to join peace talks

By embarking on a path of militarization, Europe has lost its right to claim any involvement in talks related to Ukraine and is heading toward isolation, the Russian Foreign Ministry stated following the adoption of UN General Assembly and Security Council resolutions on Ukraine

"In general, the discussions and voting at the UN clearly show that the global community desires peace. European countries, having firmly committed to militarization, have rightfully lost their claim to a role in negotiating a resolution to the Ukraine crisis and are becoming increasingly isolated. Significant shifts in the positions of the global majority are evident, reflecting a growing sense of realism and a desire to bring the conflict to a swift conclusion," the statement read.

According to the ministry, the US-drafted resolution on Ukraine is a step in the right direction, reasserting the new US administration’s intention to make a contribution to the settlement process.

The resolution tabled by the United States, which omitted mention of Russian aggression, only passed after a majority of Member States voted to add EU-led amendments which led to the US abstaining on it own motion and voting against the Ukrainian text. 

However, the text in the original US resolution was passed hours later in the Security Council – the first to do so since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia on 24 February 2022.

Ukraine’s version passed by 93 votes to 18. The US voted against, alongside Russia, marking a major shift of its position on the conflict and previous votes.

The US version was also adopted (93 in favour, eight against and 73 abstentions), but Member States also voted to add the European Union amendments with 60 in favour, 18 against and 81 abstentions.

“Advancing a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine”, proposed by Ukraine and co-sponsored by a host of European countries, was a three-page document that included clauses noting that “the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation has persisted for three years and continues to have devastating and long-lasting consequences not only for Ukraine, but also for other regions and global stability.”

It called for a commitment to “the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders” and the need to ensure accountability for crimes committed under international law, through “fair and independent investigations and prosecutions at national and international level”.

The US tabled its own version alongside, titled “Path to Peace”, a brief draft limited to mourning the loss of life throughout the Russian Federation-Ukraine conflict, reiterating that the principal purpose of the UN is to maintain international peace and security and to peacefully settle disputes and imploring a swift end to the conflict, urging a lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia.

The EU proposed adding some of the language in the Ukrainian resolution, referring to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation (rather than the Russian Federation-Ukraine conflict), the “territorial integrity” of Ukraine and calling for a peace in line with the UN Charter.

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