UN to Again ‘Demand’ Russia ‘Immediately’ End War in Ukraine

Ukraine's ambassador to the UN, Sergiy Kyslytsya, addresses the General Assembly on March 23, 2022 TIMOTHY A. CLARY AFP
Ukraine's ambassador to the UN, Sergiy Kyslytsya, addresses the General Assembly on March 23, 2022 TIMOTHY A. CLARY AFP
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UN to Again ‘Demand’ Russia ‘Immediately’ End War in Ukraine

Ukraine's ambassador to the UN, Sergiy Kyslytsya, addresses the General Assembly on March 23, 2022 TIMOTHY A. CLARY AFP
Ukraine's ambassador to the UN, Sergiy Kyslytsya, addresses the General Assembly on March 23, 2022 TIMOTHY A. CLARY AFP

The UN General Assembly was debating on Wednesday a new non-binding resolution which, if adopted by a majority of member states, will "demand" that Russia stop the war in Ukraine "immediately".

On March 2, 141 countries approved an earlier resolution that demands that Russia immediately cease the use of force against Ukraine.

Five states, including Russia, voted against and 35 abstained. The resolution was non-binding and, other than demonstrating Russia's isolation on the world stage, did not appear to impact the fighting.

On Wednesday Ukraine put the new resolution forward at another emergency session of the General Assembly in New York, AFP reported.

The text, which is also non-binding, "demands an immediate cessation of the hostilities by the Russian Federation against Ukraine, in particular of any attacks against civilians and civilian objects."

It also reiterates UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' call for Moscow to "stop its military offensive, as well as his call to establish a ceasefire and to return to the path of dialogue and negotiations."

The draft resolution, seen by AFP, is supported by 88 countries and had been initially prepared by France and Mexico.

The United States ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, described it as "building" on the March 2 vote.

She said it "makes that appeal to the one person with the ability to stop the violence. And that's Vladimir Putin."

Her French counterpart Nicolas de Riviere said France was calling on Moscow to "stop the aggression of Ukraine, which has been killing civilians, including children, medical staff and journalists for a month."

"It is a massacre and the worst is still ahead of us," he continued, recalling that the "absolute priority is an immediate cessation of hostilities and full compliance with international humanitarian law."

Also on Wednesday, Russia will try again to submit a resolution to the UN Security Council on the "humanitarian situation" in Ukraine.

If the resolution is not vetoed, it will need at least nine votes from the 15-member body to be adopted -- which diplomats say is unlikely.

Last week Russia -- which invaded Ukraine on February 24, and has been accused of committing war crimes against civilians -- cancelled an earlier attempt at the vote due to a lack of support from its closest allies.

That resolution never had a chance of adoption because it would have been vetoed by Western powers.

Russia, however, had hoped that some votes in favor would have shown it still has some support on the world stage following its all-out assault on Ukraine.



Dutch Summon Israeli Ambassador, Impose Travel Ban on Ministers 

Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir (C) attends a plenary session to vote on a bill for applying Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank territory, at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, in Jerusalem, 23 July 2025. (EPA)
Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir (C) attends a plenary session to vote on a bill for applying Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank territory, at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, in Jerusalem, 23 July 2025. (EPA)
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Dutch Summon Israeli Ambassador, Impose Travel Ban on Ministers 

Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir (C) attends a plenary session to vote on a bill for applying Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank territory, at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, in Jerusalem, 23 July 2025. (EPA)
Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir (C) attends a plenary session to vote on a bill for applying Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank territory, at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, in Jerusalem, 23 July 2025. (EPA)

The Netherlands will ban two far-right Israeli ministers from entering the country, in the latest European response to the rapidly deteriorating situation in Gaza, the country's foreign minister said. 

The ban and other measures were announced in a letter Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp sent to lawmakers late Monday evening, declaring “The war in Gaza must stop.” 

The ban targets hard-line National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, key partners in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition. 

The pair are champions of the Israeli settlement movement who support continuing the war in Gaza, facilitating what they call the voluntary emigration of its Palestinian population and the building of Jewish settlements there. 

Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway imposed financial sanctions on the two men last month. 

Later on Tuesday, leaders will meet in Brussels to discuss a European Union response, including evaluating a trade agreement between the bloc and Israel. The Netherlands wants part of that agreement to be suspended. 

Ben-Gvir and Smotrich remained defiant. In a statement on social media, Smotrich said European leaders were surrendering to “the lies of radical Islam” and that Jews may not be able to live safely in Europe in the future. 

Ben-Gvir said he will “continue to act” and said that in Europe “a Jewish minister from Israel is unwanted, terrorists are free, and Jews are boycotted.” 

Pressure has been mounting on the Dutch government, which is gearing up for elections in October, to change course on Israeli policy. Last week, thousands demonstrated at train stations across the country, carrying pots and pans to signify the food shortage in Gaza. 

The government will also summon the Israeli ambassador to the Netherlands to urge Netanyahu to change course and “immediately take measures that lead to a substantial and rapid improvement in the humanitarian situation throughout the Gaza Strip,” Veldkamp wrote. 

After international pressure, Israel over the weekend announced humanitarian pauses, airdrops and other measures meant to allow more aid to Palestinians in Gaza. But people there say little or nothing has changed on the ground. The UN has described it as a one-week scale-up of aid, and Israel has not said how long these latest measures would last. 

Israel asserts that Hamas is the reason aid isn’t reaching Palestinians in Gaza and accuses its fighters of siphoning off aid to support its rule in the territory. The UN denies that looting of aid is systematic and says it lessens or ends entirely when enough aid is allowed to enter Gaza. 

Netanyahu and his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant, are currently wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity. The men are accused of using “starvation as a method of warfare” by restricting humanitarian aid, and of intentionally targeting civilians in Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza. Member states of the ICC are obliged to arrest the men if they arrive on their territory.