‘Don’t patronize us’: India’s UN envoy tells Netherland’s top official over Ukraine comment

The Netherlands’ envoy to the UK Karel van Oosterom’s suggestion that India should not have abstained in the UN General Assembly on Ukraine has not gone down well with India.

Indian envoy to the UN TS Tirumurti responded to Oosterom’s tweet with another tweet: “Kindly don’t patronize us Ambassador. We know what to do.”

Earlier, Tirumurti tweeted his statement on the Russia-Ukraine issue, made at the UN Security Council meeting on Wednesday. At the summit, Tirumurti said that India condemns the killing of Ukraine nationals in Bucha and supported the demand for an unbiased probe.

Responding to Tirumurti’s statement, Karel van Oosterom said: “You should not have abstained in the GA. Respect the UN Charter.”

Tirumurti’s ourburst was in response to Oosterom’s comment.

In April, India abstained in the UN General Assembly on a vote moved by the US to suspend Russia from the UN Human Rights Council over allegations that Russian soldiers killed civilians while retreating from towns near the Ukrainian capital Kyiv.

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In March, India abstained from the UN General Assembly on a resolution by Ukraine and its allies on the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, saying the focus should be on cessation of hostilities and on urgent humanitarian assistance and the draft did not fully reflect New Delhi’s expected to focus on these challenges.

On March 2, the General Assembly had voted to reaffirm its commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders and deplored in the strongest terms Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

India, along with 34 other nations had abstained from the resolution, which was adopted with 141 votes in favour and five Member States voting against.