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UNGA votes demanding Russia's withdrawal from Ukraine, ceasefire talks likely tomorrow
Russia-Ukraine conflict: Ukrainian officials are expected to arrive in Belarus on Thursday and the Russian army is providing a safe corridor for the delegation.
The United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday voted to demand that Russia stop its military campaign in Ukraine and withdraw all troops, with nations from world powers to tiny island states condemning Moscow.
The vote was 141 to 5, with 34 abstentions. It came after the 193-member assembly convened its first emergency session since 1997.
The resolution deplored Russia’s “aggression” against Ukraine “in the strongest terms” and demanded an immediate and complete withdrawal of all Moscow's forces. Countries that spoke up for Russia included Belarus, Cuba, North Korea and Syria.
Live updates on Russia-Ukraine conflict
Russia and Ukraine are likely to meet for the second round of ceasefire talks in Belarus. Ukrainian officials are expected to arrive in Belarus on Thursday and the Russian army is providing a safe corridor for the delegation, Russian News Agency TASS quoted Moscow's negotiator Vladimir Medinsky as saying.
The Belarus foreign ministry said its ‘Hunter House’ was ready to host the next round of talks between the two nations.
Hours earlier, Moscow said it is ready to continue negotiations with Ukraine even as Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia must stop bombing his counrty before meaningful talks on a ceasefire could start. The first round of negotiations held earlier this week in the border town Gomel of Belarus had yielded scant progress.
Russia continued to bomb Ukrainian cities, including capital Kyiv and Kharkiv, as its military campiagn against its neighbour entered the seventh day.
Moscow claimed to have seized Kherson amid stiff resistance from Ukrainian forces. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said his troops launched a "special military operation" in the neighbouring country to remove a security threat.
(With inputs from agencies)
