India does not want to say in advance how it will vote at the United Nations General Assembly on a likely draft resolution condemning Russia’s proclaimed annexation of parts of Ukraine, Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar said on Monday.
“As a matter of prudence and policy, we don’t predict our votes in advance,” Jaishankar said during a joint media briefing along with Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong in Canberra.
The General Assembly is due to vote on the draft resolution on Tuesday or Wednesday, diplomats said.
Jaishankar on India's vote on upcoming resolution against #Russia in United Nations:
"As a matter of prudence and policy we don't predict our votes in advance." pic.twitter.com/gHfZoSCAyH
— Abhishek Jha (@abhishekjha157) October 10, 2022
Russia last month vetoed a UN Security Council resolution introduced by the United States and Albania condemning Moscow’s proclaimed annexation of parts of Ukraine, with Russia’s strategic partner China abstaining from the vote.
Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin proclaimed Russian rule over four regions that make up 15% of Ukraine’s territory – the biggest annexation in Europe since World War Two. The move has been firmly rejected by Western countries and even many of Russia’s close allies.
U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield introduced the resolution that called on member states not to recognize any altered status of Ukraine and obliged Russia to withdraw its troops.
Read more: How Russia-India relations are reshaping the Pak-US relations?
She argued in the council’s chamber that the attempted annexation of a sovereign nation’s territory went against the founding principles of the United Nations, and said Putin was celebrating “this clear violation of international law” with a concert held after he proclaimed the annexations on Friday.
Ten nations voted in favor, while China, Gabon, India and Brazil abstained.
“Not a single country voted with Russia. Not one,” Thomas-Greenfield told reporters after the meeting, adding that the abstentions “clearly were not a defense of Russia.”
Washington would turn to the 193-member U.N. General Assembly to condemn Russia’s actions, she said.
Read more: EU asks India to bypass Russia for military, trade & tech
“In the General Assembly, the nations of the world will say loud and clear: It is illegal, and simply unacceptable, to attempt to redraw another country’s borders through force,” Thomas-Greenfield said.
Reuters with additional input by GVS News Desk