India and China abstain from UN vote to demand Russian withdrawal on Ukraine war anniversary

Nuclear powers find common ground over Ukraine invasion despite being rivals

India and China were among the major global powers that abstained from a UN General Assembly vote calling on Russia to end hostilities in Ukraine on the eve of the first anniversary of the invasion.

The UN motion in New York was adopted after 141 UN member nations voted in its favour, while 32 abstained and seven voted against it on Thursday.

The non-binding motion underscored the “need to reach, as soon as possible, a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine in line with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations”.