Security Council calls for meeting on Ukraine issue
Members of the Security Council requested that in addition to the International Atomic Energy Agency's ongoing inspections in Ukraine, that it monitor Syria's compliance with "the steps required by the IAEA Board". Diplomatic sources said the United States, Britain, France, Albania, Norway and Ireland had made the request. The British diplomatic mission told the United Nations in a tweet that Russia was committing war crimes. They have targeted civilians. In that tweet, the British diplomatic mission added, "Russia's illegal war in Ukraine is a threat to all of us."
Earlier in the day, Russia called on the UN Security Council to suspend its vote. That vote was supposed to be on a draft resolution on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine.
Voting was first scheduled for Wednesday, local time. Later it was postponed this afternoon. The poll is expected to take place on Friday morning.
Diplomatic sources say the UN General Assembly is considering allowing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to speak.
France and Mexico have drafted a resolution calling for an end to violence in Ukraine. It may be presented to the UN Security Council. Russia, the current chair of the Security Council, has stated opposition to using force or imposing sanctions on Iran. Russia will chair the council until this month.
On February 25, the day after Russia's attack on Ukraine, 11 of the 15 members of the UN Security Council voted to condemn the attack. But Russia vetoed it. On March 2, the General Assembly condemned the Russian attack and approved the resolution. There were 141 votes in favor of the proposal. Five votes were cast against. 35 countries are missing.
Yesterday, US President Joe Biden called Russian President Vladimir Putin a war criminal. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ordered Russia to withdraw its military action in Ukraine.