On the one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the international community called, on Thursday 23 and Friday 24 February, for an immediate end to the conflict.
On the evening of Thursday 23 February, the UN General Assembly adopted a non-binding resolution by 141 votes in favour, 7 against (Belarus, North Korea, Eritrea, Mali, Nicaragua, Russia and Syria) and 32 abstentions (including China, India, Iran, Armenia and South Africa), calling for “a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine as soon as possible, in accordance with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations”.
Calling for a “cessation of hostilities”, the General Assembly demands that Russia immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all its military forces from Ukrainian territory within the country’s internationally recognised borders.
It also urges an immediate halt to attacks on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure and to any deliberate attacks on civilian property.
According to the General Assembly, appropriate, fair and independent investigations and prosecutions at the national or international level are needed to ensure accountability for the most serious crimes committed on Ukrainian territory.
The broad vote was welcomed by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, who was in New York. “This is an overwhelming majority of the international community and it confirms the very high level of support that Ukraine enjoys as victim of Russia’s aggression”, he said.
See the UN resolution: https://aeur.eu/f/5i7
The West reiterates its support for Ukraine
The G7, EU and NATO also paid tribute to the Ukrainian people and reiterated that they will continue to support Ukraine as much as necessary.
Following their virtual meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the G7 leaders underlined in a joint statement that “we commit to intensifying our diplomatic, financial and military support for Ukraine, to increasing the costs to Russia and those supporting its war effort, and to continuing to counter the negative impacts of the war on the rest of the world”.
“We remain committed to coordinating efforts to meet Ukraine’s pressing military and defence equipment needs, with an immediate focus on air defence systems and capabilities, as well as necessary munitions and tanks”, they pledged, also reaffirming their willingness to help maintain Ukraine’s economic and financial stability. They asked their ministers to continue working with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Ukraine to develop an ambitious programme by the end of March 2023 (see EUROPE 13128/3).
The G7 has warned that it will adopt additional sanctions, including targeted ones, and has threatened those who seek to circumvent or weaken their measures with “severe costs” if they continue to provide material assistance.
“We will maintain, fully implement and expand the economic measures we have already imposed, including by preventing and responding to evasion and circumvention through the establishment of an Enforcement Coordination Mechanism to bolster compliance and enforcement of our measures and deny Russia the benefits of G7 economies”, the G7 leaders announced.
In addition, the G7 pledged to further harmonise their measures against third country actors providing material support to Russia’s war, “in particular bans on transit or services, including to prevent their circumvention by Russia”.
The heads of state or government announced that they will take further steps to prevent Russia from gaining access to inputs into its military and manufacturing sectors, including the manufacture of industrial machinery, tools, construction equipment or other technologies used in the reconstruction of its war machine.
They warn as well that they will continue to weaken Russia’s revenues, based on measures already adopted, including export bans and the application of a tariff cap on Russian crude oil and refined oil products transported by sea. The leaders will also take further action on the Russian financial sector, targeting new Russian financial institutions to prevent circumvention of the measures they have taken.
Finally, the G7 intends to tackle diamonds - a sensitive issue for Belgium. “Given the significant revenues that Russia extracts from the export of diamonds, we will work collectively on further measures on Russian diamonds, including rough and polished ones, working closely to engage key partners”, the statement said.
“Russia started this war; it can end it”, the leaders said, calling on Moscow to withdraw its army from Ukraine.
See the G7 joint statement: https://aeur.eu/f/5ia
Talks on EU sanctions stall
While the G7 was ambitious on new sanctions, Member State ambassadors to the EU were, at the time of writing, continuing their discussions on the 10th sanctions package (see EUROPE 13128/2). The issue of synthetic rubber imports from Russia continued to divide the states.
Poland is said to consider the proposed restrictions insufficient, while Italy wants a long transition period to give its tyre industry time to find alternative sources of supply.
No rest
The day before, the “members of the European Council” warned in a joint statement that they would “not rest” until Ukraine had won the war. “Together with our international partners, we will make sure that Ukraine prevails, that international law is respected, that peace and Ukraine’s territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders are restored, that Ukraine is rebuilt, and that justice is done”, they said.
Russian aggression is “a crime against peace. It violates the UN Charter, UN principles and the values of humanity. We cannot and must not remain passive in the face of such crimes”, the European leaders recalled, underlining their determination to ensure that all those responsible for the most serious war crimes and other crimes committed are held to account.
“The European Union will continue to support Ukraine in political, economic, humanitarian, financial and military terms, including through swift coordinated procurement from European industry”, the European Council members also promised, adding that they would “endeavour to use frozen and immobilised Russian assets for the reconstruction of Ukraine in accordance with European and international law”.
See the European Council statement: https://aeur.eu/f/5i6
In its statement, NATO says that “Russia’s efforts to break the resolve of the brave people of Ukraine are failing”. “One year on, Ukrainians are fighting valiantly for freedom and independence. We stand with them”, the North Atlantic Council underlines, adding that the Allies will further intensify their political and practical support for Ukraine and remain committed to maintaining internationally coordinated pressure on Russia.
The North Atlantic Council recalled that Russia bore “full responsibility for this war”. According to it, “at no time” has it shown any real willingness to work towards a just and lasting peace.
See the NATO statement: https://aeur.eu/f/5ic (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)