UN General Assembly to convey rare emergency session over Ukraine

The UN Security Council (UNSC) on Sunday adopted Resolution 2623 that calls for an "emergency special session" of the UN General Assembly to consider and recommend collective action on the Ukraine crisis.

The measure convening the General Assembly session was adopted by a vote of 11 in favor, with Russia voting against, and China, India and the United Arab Emirates abstaining.

Since the text acted on today was procedural, none of the five permanent Council members – China France, Russia, United Kingdom and the United States – could use their vetoes. The measure needed just nine votes in favor to pass.

It is the first such a resolution that the council has adopted in four decades, according to the Security Council Report.

The UNSC on Friday failed to adopt a draft resolution on Ukraine.