Russia used its power as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council on Friday to veto a resolution condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine, NPR reported.
China abstained from the vote, while the remaining three permanent members — the U.S., Britain, and France — voted in favor of the resolution.
Earlier this month, Russia and China released a 5,000-word joint statement opposing NATO expansion and U.S. military activities in the Asia-Pacific region. The statement did not mention Ukraine, an omission some analysts told The Washington Post “reflect[ed] China’s unwillingness to support a Russian invasion.”
Among the 10 non-permanent Security Council members, which do not have veto power, none voted against the resolution, and only India and the United Arab Emirates abstained.
“We are united behind Ukraine and its people, despite a reckless, irresponsible permanent member of the Security Council abusing its power to attack its neighbor and subvert the U.N. and our international system,” U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas Greenfield said after Russia used its veto, according to Reuters.
She also told Russia’s U.N. ambassador, “You can veto this resolution but you cannot veto our voices.”
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