The UN General Assembly will discuss the situation in Ukraine during a plenary session next week, its president John Ashe said, March 22, according to RIA Novosti

He said the plenary session will take place on March 27 and will gather representatives of all 193 member states.

The clash over Crimea, previously an autonomous republic within Ukraine, has triggered the greatest geopolitical showdown between Russia and the West since the end of the Cold War.

Leaders in the predominantly Russian-ethnic republic refused to recognize the legitimacy of the government in Kyiv that came to power amid often violent protests last month, instead seeking unification with Russia.

A referendum was held on Sunday, with over 96 percent of voters in the region backing the motion to leave Ukraine and rejoin Russia.

A Western-backed UN Security Council resolution to declare the Crimean vote invalid was backed by 13 out of the council’s 15 members, but rejected when Russia exercised its veto right.

Unlike Security Council resolutions, General Assembly decisions are non-binding and have no legal implications for states concerned.