Ukraine Abstains as UN Backs Equal Earth Map Showing Crimea Separate From Ukraine

Ukraine abstained during a UN vote on adopting the Equal Earth world map projection after the new depiction separated temporarily occupied Crimea from the rest of the country. On the Togo-sponsored map, Crimea is shown in a noticeably lighter shade than Ukraine, despite territories in Georgia and Moldova lacking similar distinctions. Ukrainian MP Kira Rudik criticized the UN for needing a reminder that “Crimea is Ukraine,” while Ukraine’s Permanent Mission to the UN warned that the visual depiction opens a “Pandora’s box” that violates the UN Charter and international law, despite Kyiv’s support for correcting historical scale distortions for Africa and the Global South.