UN General Assembly session on Ukraine on Monday

The UN Security Council called for a rare emergency special session of the 193-member General Assembly on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which will be held on Monday, as western allies step up a diplomatic campaign to isolate Moscow, Reuters reported.

The vote by the 15-member council was procedural so Russia could not wield its veto.

A resolution convening the General Assembly session was adopted with 11 yes votes. Russia voted no, while China, India and the UAE abstained.

The move is the latest in a flurry of diplomacy at the UN in New York.

It follows a Russian veto on Friday of a draft council resolution that would have deplored Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. China, India and the UAE abstained and the remaining 11 members voted yes.

The General Assembly is expected to vote on a similar resolution as soon as Wednesday, US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield told NBC’s Meet the Press. No country has a veto in the General Assembly.

While General Assembly resolutions are non-binding, they carry political weight.