Nigeria joined 106 other members of the UN General Assembly to voice support for Ukraine on Tuesday, on the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion that began on February 24, 2022.
The General Assembly meeting, held in an emergency special session, adopted a resolution titled “Support for lasting peace in Ukraine” by a tally of 107 countries in favour, 12 against, and 51 abstentions. The United States was among the countries that abstained from the vote.
The resolution called for “a comprehensive, just and lasting peace; an immediate and unconditional ceasefire; the exchange of prisoners of war and the return of civilians forcibly transferred, including children.” It reaffirmed commitment to “the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders.”
UN General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock said the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops shattered the peaceful aspirations of an entire continent. “Four years ago, people in Europe woke up in another world because generations like mine have always had the privilege to live a life in peace. But this changed four years ago with the full invasion by Russia of the neighbouring country of Ukraine,” Baerbock said, adding that war must never be the new normal.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed regret that February 24 marks four years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion, describing it as a violation of the UN Charter and international law. “This devastating war is a stain on our collective consciousness and remains a threat to regional and international peace and security,” Guterres said.
He noted that the longer the war continues, the deadlier it becomes, with civilians bearing the brunt of the conflict. “2025 witnessed the largest number of civilians killed in Ukraine. This is simply unacceptable. I reiterate my call for an immediate, full and unconditional ceasefire as a first step towards a just, lasting and comprehensive peace,” he added.
At the UN Security Council debate, Ukraine’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Mariana Betsa, described Russia’s invasion as a “war against the rules-based international order.” She cited mass strikes on civilians, nuclear risks, and the deportation of children as potential war crimes, stressing that peace requires an “immediate ceasefire.”
Betsa called for stronger sanctions, air defence, and binding security guarantees, insisting that sovereignty is a “red line” and rejecting territorial concessions. She warned that if aggression prevails, “no country will feel safe.”
The Russian Federation’s delegate, however, argued that the meeting “has nothing to do with maintaining international peace and security” and accused European states of fuelling war while ignoring negotiations. He alleged that the 2014 change of power brought a “neo-Nazi regime” to Kyiv and claimed crimes against Russian speakers were overlooked. Moscow reaffirmed diplomacy as preferable, insisting that any settlement must address the conflict’s “root causes” and reflect “new territorial realities.”
