Germany pledges winter aid package for Ukraine

NEW YORK: The United States abstained on Monday in a United Nations vote on a resolution it drafted to mark the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine after the General Assembly agreed to add language supportive of Kyiv to Washington’s text.
The vote was a victory for European nations concerned about US overtures to Russia by the administration of President Donald Trump in talks to end the war.
The original US draft was three paragraphs — mourning the loss of life during the “Russia-Ukraine conflict,” reiterating that the UN’s main purpose is to maintain international peace and security and peacefully settle disputes, and urging a swift end to the conflict and a lasting peace.
But European amendments added references to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia and the need for a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in line with the founding UN Charter and reaffirmed the UN’s support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity.
“Multiple resolutions ... have demanded that Russia withdraw its forces from Ukraine. Those resolutions have failed to stop the war,” Acting US Ambassador Dorothy Shea said before the vote. “What we need is a resolution, marking the commitment from all UN member states to bring a durable end to the war.”
The amended US-drafted resolution won 93 votes in favor, while 73 states abstained and eight voted no.
The US push for UN action came after Trump launched a bid to broker an end to the war, sparking a rift with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and raising concerns among European allies that they could be cut out of peace talks. US and Russian officials met last Tuesday.
“This war has never been about Ukraine only. It is about a fundamental right of any country to exist, to choose its own path and to live free from aggression,” Ukraine’s Deputy Foreign Minister Betsa Mariana told the assembly before the vote.
The US put forward its text on Friday, pitting it against Ukraine and European allies who spent the past month negotiating with their own resolution. The General Assembly also adopted the resolution drafted by Ukraine and European countries on Monday with 93 votes in favor, 65 abstentions and 18 no votes.
Before the votes, Russia’s UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia praised Trump for realizing Zelensky is “not at all interested in having peace in his country because he’s clinging to power.”
“To make sure that this initiative is fully in line with the understandings arrived at during the Russian and American contacts at the highest levels, we introduce an amendment ... about the need to eliminate the root causes of the Ukrainian crisis,” Nebenzia told the assembly. “And this, by the way, was mentioned by President Trump several times.”
The 15-member Security Council is also set to vote on the same US text later on Monday. A council resolution needs at least nine votes in favor and no vetoes by the US, Russia, China, Britain or France to be adopted.
Russia failed in an attempt on Monday to amend the US-drafted resolution in the General Assembly to include a reference to addressing the “root causes” of the conflict.

MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday thanked Grand Mufti of Russia Talgat Tadzhuddin for his efforts in fostering interfaith unity and harmony among the country’s diverse religious communities.

During a meeting at the Kremlin, Putin acknowledged the contributions of Tadzhuddin and other Muslim leaders in strengthening religious accord across the country, state news agency TASS reported.

“I would like to personally thank you and all Muslim leaders for the contribution you and other spiritual leaders are making to interreligious unity and accord between the peoples of Russia,” the president said.

Although a secular state under its constitution, Russia recognizes the role of religious institutions in society. The law guarantees freedom of religion, with all religious associations operating separately from the state while enjoying equal status.

Christianity remains the dominant faith in Russia, with Orthodox Christianity as the largest denomination. Islam is the second-largest religion, with most Russian Muslims adhering to Sunni Islam.

The Russian government continues to support traditional religions by restoring historic religious sites damaged during the Soviet era and facilitating the establishment of spiritual education institutions, TASS said.