Condemning Russia at UN: Lithuania won’t send Covid vaccines after Bangladesh didn’t vote

Lithuania has cancelled its decision to provide Covid-19 vaccines to Bangladesh after the country abstained during the United Nations General Assembly vote on condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Lithuanian National Radio and Television, a non-profit public broadcaster, reported this, quoting Rasa Jakilaitienė, a spokesperson for the Lithuanian prime minister. 

Earlier this week, the Lithuanian government decided to send 444,600 doses of Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine to Bangladesh, it reported on March 3.

The UN General Assembly on Wednesday overwhelmingly adopted a resolution that demands Russia to "immediately" withdraw from Ukraine.

After more than two days of debate, which saw the Ukrainian ambassador accuse Russia of genocide, 141 out of 193 UN member states voted in favour of the non-binding resolution.

Bangladesh was among the 35 countries that abstained, while just five -- Eritrea, North Korea, Syria, Belarus, and, of course, Russia -- voted against it.

The resolution "deplores" the invasion of Ukraine "in the strongest terms" and condemns Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to put his nuclear forces on alert.

At the same time, the General Assembly expressed its support for Ukraine's sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity.

At the UNGA, Bangladesh said it is always for peace and called for resolving the crisis through dialogue. It also presented its position, saying that it believes in the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen on Sunday said the UN resolution was not meant to stop the war, but to blame someone, explaining why Bangladesh abstained from voting.