Extraordinary resolution voted: UN condemns attacks and calls on Russia to withdraw troops

The United Nations (UN) has voted overwhelmingly in favor of a resolution condemning Russia's attacks on Ukraine and calling for the immediate withdrawal of its forces.

At an urgent session of the UN General Assembly, 141 of the 193 member states voted in favor of the resolution, 35 abstained and 5 voted against.

The resolution "condemns in the strongest terms the aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine" and calls for "the Russian Federation to immediately cease the use of force against Ukraine" and "to withdraw immediately, completely and unconditionally all its military forces."

In the first emergency session since 1997, only five countries voted against: Russia, North Korea, Eritrea, Syria and Belarus. Serbia, a close ally of Russia, also voted in favor of the resolution.

On Friday, Russia was the only vote against a similar resolution in the Security Council, but because Russia is one of the five veto-wielding powers, the resolution was not supported, so Ukraine's allies referred the matter to the General Assembly.

Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, but they do have an impact on international public opinion.

The President of Ukraine thanked the states for their support. "I am grateful to everyone and every state that voted in favor. "You have chosen the right side of the story," said Zelenskyy.