Backing by 143 UN members Wednesday for an EU-drafted resolution condemning Russian annexation of eastern Ukrainian regions was “remarkable”, International Crisis Group expert Richard Gowan told EUobserver from New York. “Diplomats had been predicting 125 to 130 positive votes”, he said. The annexation “forced” those sitting on the fence “to make a stand”. Russian missile strikes on civilian targets in the run-up to the vote also “influenced some states”.
