UN Security Council preparing to act on Ukraine but doomed to fail

United Nations Security Council members are preparing to put forward a draft resolution on Ukraine that will call out Russia over its actions toward its neighbor, said a Security Council diplomat, but the move is doomed to fail.

It will not be adopted by the 15-member council as Russia is a veto power – along with the United States, France, Britain and China – but it gives Washington and allies a chance to show that Moscow is internationally isolated over its actions on Ukraine.

“We work on the resolution in the Security Council. I hope we can move to action in the next hours or days, … and if we cannot succeed in the Security Council we’ll go right away to the General Assembly,” said the diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

The council will not take any action on a draft resolution at an emergency meeting later on Wednesday, diplomats said.

France’s Ambassador to the UN Nicolas de Riviere, China’s Ambassador to the UN Zhang Jun, U.S. Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield and British Ambassador to the UN Barbara Woodward chat as the United Nations Security Council met to discuss the ongoing crisis in Ukraine with Russia, in New York City, U.S., February 23, 2022. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri

Tensions have been building over U.S. accusations that Russia has deployed more than 150,000 troops near Ukraine’s borders and is ready to invade. Russia has denied it wants to invade Ukraine and accuses Washington and allies of hysteria.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has recognized the independence of two Moscow-backed separatist regions of eastern Ukraine and has ordered the deployment of Russian troops there to “keep the peace.” Washington and its allies have responded with a series of sanctions.

“The draft will make it very clear that Russia is not in compliance with the U.N. charter, that Russia is not in compliance with international law, with resolution 2202 that endorses the Minsk agreement,” the diplomat said.

“We will certainly urge Russia to get back to compliance immediately,” the diplomat said. “We don’t believe this would jeopardize the possibility to resume talks and negotiations as soon as possible.”

The moves at the United Nations appear set to mirror what happened in 2014 after Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimea region.

The Security Council voted on a U.S.-drafted resolution opposing a referendum on the status of Crimea and urging countries not to recognize it. It received 13 votes in favor, China abstained, and Russia cast a veto.

The 193-member U.N. General Assembly then adopted a resolution declaring the referendum invalid. It received 100 votes in favor, 11 against and 58 abstentions, while two dozen countries didn’t vote.

(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Leslie Adler)