In a statement issued on Thursday, the Permanent Mission of Egypt said the country’s long standing position, as a founding member of the UN, is to respect the national sovereignty and integrity of countries’ territories.

143 countries voted in factor of the resolution condemning Russia’s “attempted illegal annexation” and called on all countries not to recognise the move and to reaffirm the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders.

35 countries including China and India abstained, while Russia and four other countries voted against the resolution.

Egypt reiterated also its position, calling on all parties of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict and all effective players to reach a negotiable solution that takes into consideration the concerns of all parties and brings a halt to fighting and violence thus ensuring international stability and security.

“The current situation calls the international community to question if it was possible to avoid this crisis,” the Egyptian statement added, calling on the international community to refrain from using double standards in dealing with international issues.

The statement highlighted that the current crisis has had a significant impact on the entire world but especially the economies of developing countries such as Egypt. These countries, the statement added, were the hardest hit in matters of food and energy security.

Egypt and 140 other countries voted in March in support of the UN resolution that urges Russia to stop its offensive in Ukraine and withdraw.