Kyiv abstained during the UN vote on the new world map that visually separates Crimea from Ukraine

The UN supported the use of the new Equal Earth world map, which more accurately conveys the relative sizes of the continents. At the same time, the temporarily occupied Crimea is visually separated from the mainland part of Ukraine.

Because of this, Kyiv did not support the corresponding resolution, according to Ukraine’s permanent mission to the UN.

On the map, Crimea is shown in a significantly lighter color than the rest of Ukraine. At the same time, its designation differs from the color used for Russia.

The Ukrainian side noted that the territories occupied by Russia in other states, in particular Georgia and Moldova, are not highlighted separately on the map.

Kira Rudyk stated that the way Crimea is depicted was one of the reasons Ukraine abstained during the vote.

The permanent mission of Ukraine to the UN noted that Kyiv supports the aim of correcting historical distortions in the depiction of continent sizes, in particular Africa and other regions of the Global South.

At the same time, the method by which temporarily Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories are shown on Equal Earth was described as unacceptable by the mission. In the Ukrainian view, such a depiction contradicts the UN Charter and international law.

Ukraine appealed to the resolution’s authors and proposed a compromise formulation, but agreement could not be reached.

The mission also warned that such an approach could create opportunities for abuse and distortion of the political world map, effectively “opening Pandora’s box.”

This is not the first time Crimea has been visually separated from Ukraine on an international map.