FOR FIRST TIME, INDIA VOTES AGAINST RUSSIA

Washington: India for the first time on Wednesday voted against Russia during a procedural vote at the United Nations Security Council on Ukraine, as the 15-member powerful UN body invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to address a meeting through a video tele-conference. This is for the first time that India has voted against Russia on the issue of Ukraine, after the Russian military action began in February. So far, New Delhi has abstained at the UN Security Council on Ukraine, much to the annoyance of the Western powers led by the United States. Western nations, including the US, have imposed major economic and other sanctions on Russia following the aggression.

India has not criticised Russia for its aggression against Ukraine. New Delhi has repeatedly called upon the Russian and Ukrainian sides to return to the path of diplomacy and dialogue, and also expressed its support for all diplomatic efforts to end the conflict between the countries. India currently is a non-permanent member of the UNSC for a two-year term, which ends in December. On Wednesday, the UNSC held a meeting to take stock of the now six-month-old conflict. As the meeting began, Russian Ambassador Vassily A Nebenzia requested a procedural vote concerning Ukrainian President’s participation in the m e e t i n g . Fo l l ow i n g statements by him and Ferit Hoxha of Albania, the Council invited Zelensky to participate in the meeting via video tele-conference by a vote of 13 in favour to one against. Russia voted against such an invitation, while China abstained. —PTI