Russia scraps UN vote on Ukraine resolution over lack of support

[UNITED NATIONS, United States] Russia cancelled a UN Security Council vote on a "humanitarian" resolution on Ukraine, scheduled for Friday, due to a lack of support from its closest allies, diplomats said.

Moscow failed to secure co-sponsorship of the draft text from China and India, suggesting that neither Beijing nor New Delhi were going to support it, an ambassador told AFP on Thursday.

Russia's ambassador to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, later confirmed during a council meeting on Ukraine that the vote would not happen.

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

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

Moscow had already twice postponed the vote on the controversial resolution, which condemned attacks on civilians and called for their safe passage.

Russia filed the draft resolution Tuesday on the "deteriorating humanitarian situation in Ukraine" and requested a vote for the following day.

It then changed its mind and asked for the vote to be moved to Thursday, before opting for Friday.

"This week, perversely, Russia tabled a resolution that, among other things, called for the protection of civilians, including women and children," said British ambassador to the UN Barbara Woodward.

"This is cynical game-playing in the face of extreme human suffering," she added.

The United States' envoy to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said Russia's resolution was "farcical" and "doomed to fail."

France and Mexico plan to put a humanitarian resolution on Ukraine they co-drafted to a vote in the General Assembly The assembly earlier this month massively approved a resolution condemning Russia's February 24 invasion of its neighbour.

That resolution received 141 votes in favour, five votes against and 35 abstentions. AFP