The first statement of the Security Council on Ukraine adopted in 2 minutes

US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield (holding a hammer) during a meeting of the Security Council on May 5. The US holds the rotating chair of the Security Council in May 2022 – Photo: REUTERS

According to the news site UN News of the United Nations (UN), the meeting to approve the declaration began at 3:03 p.m. on May 6 (US time) and ended at 3:05 p.m. on the same day, the morning of May 7 in Vietnam time.

This is the first Security Council statement on the conflict Ukraine since it exploded in late February.

All member states, including Russia, adopted the declaration, marking one of the rare times that the country has stood with Western nations on the Ukraine issue since the outbreak of hostilities.

Russia has used the veto power of a permanent member of the Security Council to block resolutions or statements critical of its military actions in Ukraine.

For Moscow to nod for the first time to a statement regarding Ukraine, according to the Associated Press, controversial phrases have been removed.

The drafters of the statement also did not use the phrase “special military operation” as Russia calls it or refer to the words that the West describes Moscow’s actions.

The statement was also exceptionally brief, in which it expressed “deep concern about the maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine”. The declaration also reminded member states that under the UN Charter, countries “have an obligation to settle their international disputes by peaceful means”.

“The Security Council expresses its strong support for the efforts of the Secretary-General (Antonio Guterres) in finding a peaceful solution,” the statement said, asking Guterres to brief the members. Security Council on these efforts “within the appropriate time”.

Responding to the Security Council statement, Guterres called it the first time the Security Council “speaks with one voice for peace in Ukraine”. The Mexican and Norwegian ambassadors to the UN also described it as an important first step in diplomatic efforts to end the conflict.

When asked why it took two months for a brief statement expressing support only to the UN secretary general, Mexican ambassador Juan Ramon De La Fuente said that everything needs to start with humility.

“The unanimous adoption of the statement shows that the Security Council is united in assisting the UN and the secretary-general in finding a diplomatic solution,” the ambassador further explained.