Russia Loses Elections To Three UN Bodies

The Kremlin was sent a clear signal.

This week, Russia lost elections to three United Nations bodies, a sign that resistance to its invasion of Ukraine more than a year ago remains strong.

It is reported by the Associated Press.

In a vote in the 54-member Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC), Russia was defeated by Romania for a seat on the Commission on the Status of Women.

Russia also lost to Estonia membership in the executive board of the UN children's agency UNICEF and was defeated by Armenia and the Czech Republic in a secret ballot for membership in the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.

U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said after Wednesday's vote: “This is a clear message from ECOSOC members that no country should take positions in critical UN bodies when they flagrantly violate the UN Charter”.

When voting for members of 14 commissions, councils and expert groups supervised by ECOSOC, Russia was elected to the Commission for Social Development by acclamation, from which the U.S. and UK dissociated themselves, stating that Russia's invasion violates international law and the territorial integrity of Ukraine.

Russia was also elected by acclamation to the Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Accounting and Reporting Standards.

The vote followed the approval of six non-binding resolutions against Russia by the 193-member UN General Assembly. The latter was adopted on February 23, on the eve of the first anniversary of the invasion, and called on Moscow to stop hostilities and withdraw its troops. It was approved by 141 votes to 7, with 32 abstentions.