Nigeria has joined a broad coalition of states at the United Nations General Assembly in backing a resolution that calls for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine, underscoring renewed global pressure on Russia as its full-scale invasion enters a fifth year.

Meeting in an emergency special session, the General Assembly adopted the resolution titled Support for lasting peace in Ukraine with 107 votes in favour, 12 against and 51 abstentions. The text reaffirms the body’s commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders and demands an immediate and unconditional ceasefire.

The resolution urges the exchange of prisoners of war and the return of civilians, including children, who have been forcibly transferred or deported from Ukrainian territory. It also calls for intensified diplomatic efforts aimed at a settlement consistent with the UN Charter and international law.

General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock told member states that Russia’s full-scale invasion had shattered Europe’s sense of security, warning that war must never be accepted as the new normal. Generations like mine have always had the privilege to live a life in peace, she said. But this changed with the full invasion by Russia of the neighbouring country of Ukraine.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres described the conflict as a stain on our collective consciousness and a continuing threat to regional and international peace and security. He condemned the mounting civilian toll and reiterated his call for an immediate, full and unconditional ceasefire as the first step toward a just and comprehensive peace.

Addressing the Security Council in a related debate, Ukraine’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mariana Betsa characterised Russia’s assault as a war against the rules-based international order. She cited mass strikes on civilian areas, nuclear risks and the deportation of children as potential war crimes, insisting that Ukrainian sovereignty and territorial integrity are red lines that cannot be traded away.

Betsa urged states to tighten sanctions, bolster Ukraine’s air defences and provide binding security guarantees, warning that if aggression prevails, no country will feel safe. She also pressed for accelerated prisoner exchanges and robust accountability mechanisms.

Russia’s representative dismissed the General Assembly move as politically motivated, accusing European governments of fuelling the conflict while ignoring negotiations. Moscow reiterated that any eventual settlement must address what it calls the conflict’s root causes and take into account new territorial realities.