China backs UN resolution critical of Russia

New York, 30 April 2023 (TDI): On April 26 UN General Assembly held a vote on a UN resolution that called for cooperation between the UN and the Council of Europe to address various issues, including the Russian aggression against Ukraine and Georgia.

The resolution was drafted by 48 countries, including the United States and Ukraine.

The resolution was passed after getting 122 votes in support.

Only five countries, Russia, Belarus, North Korea, Syria, and Nicaragua, opposed the resolution.

China voted in favor of the resolution, a move seen as a major shift since the country has abstained or voted against the resolutions condemning Russian actions in Ukraine. India and Kazakhstan are both traditional partners of Russia but also voted in favor of the resolution.

Also Read: Presidents Xi and Zelenskyy Discuss Key Issues in Recent Phone Call

The development went unnoticed in the international media and social media platforms.

It is worth noting that the development took place on the same day when Chinese President Xi Jinping discussed the Russia-Ukraine war with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the phone.

Countries like Germany and France are calling on China to leverage its relations with Russia to stop the war.

European Union is a major trade partner of China, and Ukraine is an important part of the BRI initiative.

India unexpectedly voted in favor of the resolution. India is considered as a traditional friend of Russia and has tread very carefully since the start of the Ukraine war to cash its geopolitical sweet spot. The country’s military is dependent on Russian arms sales for its strike capability. India has also imported Russian oil at discounted rates throughout the war.

Kazakhstan is located in Russia’s near abroad as a former Soviet state and part of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) its foreign policy is heavily influenced by Russia.

Last year Russian troops arrived in Kazakhstan at the request of the Kazakh government to deal with unrest in the country.

But in recent years, and especially after the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, Kazakhstan is diversifying its relations and moving towards a more independent foreign policy.