The U.N. General Assembly will continue to support Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty regardless of the outcomes of national elections worldwide this year, the body's president said on July 3, adding that "no country has the right to invade another country."
That stance "cannot change because this is a matter of law," General Assembly President Dennis Francis said in an interview with The Associated Press during his first visit to Ukraine as the country battles Russia’s invasion for a third year.
The U.N.'s main policy-making body has shown strong support for efforts to uphold Ukraine’s sovereignty, he said. However, upcoming elections in the U.S. and several key European Union countries have raised concerns about potential shifts in policies among Western nations, whose military and financial support has been crucial for Ukraine in countering the Kremlin’s ambitions.
"It will be for us to witness over time what the implications of the results of those elections are for the entire international system and in particular for the state of Ukraine," Francis told The Associated Press.
Francis met with Ukrainian officials, including President Volodymyr Zelensky, to discuss peace and international security. He pledged support for Zelensky’s peace plan, which was recently discussed at an international gathering in Switzerland attended by numerous countries and organizations, including the U.N.
"I think there are many important elements in (Zelensky’s plan) that can provide a foundation for dialogue when that time is appropriate," he said. "Let us see where it takes us."
Chris York
(Updated: )
