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India on Wednesday voted against Russia in the Ukraine conflict for the first time since the invasion of Moscow began on February 24.
Until now, India had abstained from various resolutions on the Russia-Ukraine conflict but repeatedly called for an end to the violence.
On Wednesday, the 15-member United Nations Security Council invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to address a meeting via video conference.
However, the Russian ambassador to the United Nations, Vassily A Nebenzia, opposed this. Nebenzia said his country is not opposed to Zelenskyy's participation but wants him to appear in person.
"During the Covid-19 pandemic, the UN Security Council had decided to work virtually, but such meetings were informal, and after the peak of the pandemic, the council reverted to interim procedural rules," Nebenzia argued.
The Russian representative stressed that the council cannot make an exception for one country or one person. Nebenzia then called for a procedural vote on Zelenskyy's participation in Wednesday's meeting via video conference.
As the meeting began, Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vassily A. Nebenzia requested a procedural vote on the Ukrainian president's participation in the meeting via videoconference.
Following the statements by him and Ferit Hoxha of Albania, the Council extended an invitation to Zelensky to participate in the meeting via videoconference with 13 votes in favour and one against. Russia voted against such an invitation, while China abstained.
Nebenzia insisted that Russia is not opposed to Zelensky's participation, but such participation must be face-to-face. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Council decided to work virtually, but such meetings were informal, and after the peak of the pandemic, the Council reverted to interim rules of procedure, he argued.
Reiterating that his country's objection specifically refers to the participation of the Ukrainian president by videoconference, he called for a procedural vote on this matter, to which India and 12 other countries did not agree and supported Zelensky to address the Council by videoconference.
However, the international community will never recognize Russia's attempt to change Ukraine's borders by force, he told the UN Security Council.
Noting that Ukraine has an impeccable record of nuclear power safety and security at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, he said that the Russian Federation recklessly attacked and seized control of that site by force, risking nuclear disaster.
The US envoy expressed concern about Moscow's so-called leak operation, which involves the systematic and forced deportation of Ukrainian civilians to remote areas of the Russian Federation.
Envoys from France, Ireland, Norway, the United Kingdom, Gabon, Ghana, Mexico and China also spoke on the occasion, along with the European Union as an observer.
Ukraine celebrated its Independence Day on Wednesday, which also marked exactly six months since the start of Russia's military offensive against the country on February 24.
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