Nigeria joined 106 other members of the UN General Assembly to voice support for Ukraine on Tuesday, on the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion on February 24, 2022.

The General Assembly meeting, which was held in an emergency special session, adopted a resolution titled ‘Support for lasting peace in Ukraine’.

The resolution passed by a tally of 107 countries in favour, 12 against, and 51 abstentions, which included the U.S.

The resolution called for comprehensive, just and lasting peace; immediate and unconditional ceasefire; exchange of prisoners of war and return of civilians forcibly transferred, including children.

The assembly, in the resolution, said it was committed to “the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders”.

UN General Assembly president Annalena Baerbock said the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops shattered the peaceful aspirations of an entire continent, adding, war must never be the new normal.

“Four years ago, people in Europe woke up in another world because generations like mine have always had the privilege to live a life in peace,” Ms Baerbock said. “But this changed four years ago with the full invasion by Russia of the neighbouring country of Ukraine.”

UN secretary-general António Guterres regretted that 24 February marks four years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, in violation of the UN Charter and international law.

He said the international community must “use every diplomatic tool” to bring an end to the war in Ukraine, a senior UN official told the Security Council on Tuesday as Russia’s full-scale invasion entered a fifth year.

At the UN Security Council debate, Ukraine’s deputy foreign minister, Mariana Betsa, said Russia’s invasion was a “war against the rules-based international order”.

Ms Betsa cited mass strikes on civilians, nuclear risks and the deportation of children as potential war crimes. She stressed that peace requires an “immediate ceasefire” and called for stronger sanctions, air defence, and binding security guarantees.

Russia’s delegate said the meeting “has nothing to do with maintaining international peace and security” and accused European States of fuelling war while ignoring negotiations.

He alleged the 2014 change of power brought a “neo-Nazi regime” to Kyiv and claimed crimes against Russian speakers were overlooked.

Moscow reaffirmed diplomacy as “preferable,” insisting any settlement address the conflict’s “root causes” and reflect “new territorial realities”.

(NAN)