Russian manipulations to avoid responsibility for aggression in Ukraine harm UN efforts to fight coronavirus – MFA Ukraine

Ukraine welcomes the adoption of the UN General Assembly resolution Global Solidarity to Combat COVID-19 and, as its co-author, expresses its gratitude to Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, Ghana, Indonesia, and Singapore for the initiative to introduce a draft decision, as well as to all co-sponsors for their support.

“An unprecedented level of state participation in the adoption of the resolution is a clear signal that we stand united, while the UN is able to take on the role of coordinator of the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. We welcome the leading role of the chairman of the 74th session of the UN General Assembly, Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, in organizing the work of the UN General Assembly in this difficult period,” the statement said.

Read alsoUkraine blocks Russia’s UN declaration on fighting coronavirus

Ukraine supports the call of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to resolve the issue of health emergencies and focus on measures of social influence and economic response. In particular, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky expressed support for the efforts of the UN Secretary General w during their telephone conversation on April 2.

“In the context of the global crisis, when the world especially needs unity, the Russian Federation decided to make use of the situation to advance its own narrow political interests. Ignoring the lack of support from the vast majority of UN member states, Russia submitted a parallel draft resolution, the main message of which, despite the inclusion of the issue COVID-19 in its title, fully fits into the logic of its previous calls for the lifting of restrictive measures that had been introduced in response to its grave international crime – armed aggression,” the foreign ministry said.

“Russia defiantly ignores the call of the UN Secretary General for a global ceasefire, continuing armed provocations and blocking access of international organizations to the occupied territories of Ukraine against the backdrop of the spread of COVID-19. The draft resolution introduced by the Russian Federation is yet another attempt to create a propaganda cover for its aggressive foreign policy,” the statement emphasizes.

In this regard, Ukraine opposes the attempts by the Russian Federation to take advantage of the difficult humanitarian situation in order to avoid international legal responsibility.

Read alsoWar amid virus spread: Russia attempting to exploit global quarantine issue to have sanctions lifted

“These manipulations only harm the important efforts being made by the UN Secretary General and the United Nations in strengthening cooperation between states in the fight against COVID-19 and minimizing its consequences,” the statement said.

Ukrainian Foreign Ministry calls on all countries to show unity in the fight against an unprecedented pandemic.

Ukrainian diplomats are convinced that it’s only through joint efforts, not by slogans and declarations, that it’s possible to tackle the most complex challenges humankind is facing.

As UNIAN reported earlier, on March 30, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba said Kyiv was working to prevent the lifting of sanctions imposed on Russia in connection with the aggression against Ukraine under the pretext of combating coronavirus and supposedly for humanitarian reasons.

Today, April 3, at night in New York, Ukraine blocked the Russian-initiated UN declaration on the fight against coronavirus that could entail the lifting of Russia sanctions.