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🇱🇹 Lithuania /Conflict & Security

Ukraine rejects UN world map resolution over depiction of occupied Crimea

From Delfi · () Lithuanian

Translated from Lithuanian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Ukraine refused to support a UN resolution on a new world map because it said the Equal Earth projection separates occupied Ukrainian territories from the country.
  • The Ukrainian delegation said it supported more accurate, scientifically based depictions of Africa and other regions but objected to the map's treatment of sovereignty and territorial integrity.
  • Lawmaker Kira Rudyk said the depiction of Crimea required the UN to reaffirm that the peninsula belongs to Ukraine.

Ukraine refused to back a United Nations resolution on a new world map after objecting to how the Equal Earth projection depicts Russian-occupied Ukrainian territory, including Crimea.

Kyiv said it did not oppose the resolution's broader goal of showing continents such as Africa and other parts of the Global South more accurately and on a scientific basis. The dispute centered on the map projection, which the Ukrainian delegation said portrays occupied parts of the country in a way that violates the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The delegation also said the projection conflicts with General Assembly resolutions affirming Ukraine's territorial integrity and rejecting recognition of Russia's annexation of Crimea. Ukraine tried to reach a compromise with the resolution's authors over the wording but failed.

open Pandora's box

· Ukrainian delegationThe delegation warned that ambiguous map language could enable distortions of the political world map.

Ukrainian representatives warned that correcting historical distortions in the depiction of continents should not create new problems in the political map of the world. They said ambiguous language could "open Pandora's box" by effectively enabling further distortion, and urged other delegations to take the risks of the vote seriously.

Lawmaker Kira Rudyk reacted sharply, writing: "Ukraine could not support the UN resolution on a new world map because it depicts occupied Crimea as separated from Ukraine. Does the UN still need to be reminded in 2026 that Crimea is Ukraine?"

Ukraine could not support the UN resolution on a new world map because it depicts occupied Crimea as separated from Ukraine. Does the UN still need to be reminded in 2026 that Crimea is Ukraine?

· Kira RudykThe Ukrainian lawmaker criticized the resolution's depiction of Crimea.
About this summary

Originally published by Delfi in Lithuanian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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