US, Albania seek penalty resolution against Russia at UN

Text of the resolution calls for the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine, AFP reports.

The vote, however, is expected to fail because of the veto right Russia has as a permanent member of the Council.

However, for Washington, a Russian veto use will show “the <x1nd resolution of this state.

A vote for a similar resolution is expected to be held at the UN General Assembly, where resolutions have no legal effects, and its 193 members have no right to veto.

Under the draft resolution, the Security Council will condemn the Russian Federation's <x0-aggression to Ukraine, which is at odds with Article 2, paragraph 4 of the UN Declaration”, where it says all member states dare not attack other states.

The resolution text requires that Russia “immediately terminate the use of force against Ukraine” and “withdraw immediately, completely and unconditionally all its military forces from Ukraine's territory within its internationally recognised borders”.

The United States and Albania, a non-permanent member of the council, hope to garner as many pro votes as possible among the 15 member states, according to diplomats.

In 2014, following Russia's annexation of Crime, a resolution condemning Moscow received 13 votes, with China abstained as Russia exercised veto rights.

The text was later sent to the UN General Assembly, where it received 100 votes in favour. Eleven countries voted against, 58 officially abstained, while the rest of the members did not participate in the vote.

Russia launched a large-scale operation on February 24th, as Ukraine's “demilitarisation” said.

The United States of America, but the European Union has also announced they have imposed new sanctions on Russia after the Kremlin launched its attack on Kiev.