US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield plans to introduce a resolution condemning Russia for so-called referendums being held in four regions of Ukraine and stating that the UN Security Council does not support the use of force to redraw borders during during a security council meeting on Tuesday, a US official told CNN. The resolution — which will be introduced jointly by the US and Albania — is expected to be largely symbolic as Russia is almost certain to veto it. Behind the scenes, US diplomats will work with all nations on the Security Council, including diplomats from China and India, in an effort to get them to vote in favor, the official said. Thomas-Greenfield will say that Russia intends to annex the territories in an attempt to seize the territory of another UN member state by force, something the UN charter was designed to prevent, according to the US official. He will ask Security Council members to join the US in meeting the challenge head-on, the official said. More context: US officials have repeatedly said they will not accept the result of “fake” referendums, which they believe Russia will use as a pretext to annex those parts of Ukraine. The Biden administration is also preparing a response once Russia annexes the territories, CNN reported Monday. The introduction of this resolution comes after both President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Joe Biden called for changes to the UNSC during the UN General Assembly last week. Zelensky questioned why Russia is a permanent member and called on the council to punish Russia. “Reject the right to vote. Take away the rights of representation. Remove the right of veto — if it is a member of the UN Security Council. To punish the aggressor within the institutions,” Zelensky said.
