Kyiv: Ukraine on Saturday marked RussiaUN presidency Security Council for the month of April “a slap in the face”, joining a chorus of indignation from Western countries.
Moscow assumes the presidency as part of its monthly rotation among the 15 member states of the Security Council, with ties with the West at their lowest point since the Cold War, over the invasion of Ukraine from Russia.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Russia’s continued rotating presidency of the body was “a slap in the face to the international community.”
“He urges the current members of the UNSC to thwart any Russian attempt to abuse his presidency,” he said on Twitter, calling Russia “an outsider of the UNSC.”
Moscow last chaired the council in February 2022 – the same month it invaded Ukraine.
Russia would have little influence on decisions, but would be in charge of the agenda.
Moscow said the Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov he plans to chair a UN Security Council meeting later this month on “effective multilateralism.”
A spokesman for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Maria Zakharova he also said that Lavrov will lead a debate on the Middle East on April 25.
Ukraine has asked Russia to be removed from the Security Council.
“Council of Insecurity”
The United States has also criticized Russia’s membership of the Security Council and its permanent member status.
“A country that flagrantly violates the UN Charter and invades its neighbor has no seat on the UN Security Council,” White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said earlier.
“Unfortunately Russia is a permanent member of the Security Council and there is no feasible international legal way to change that reality,” he added, calling the presidency “a largely ceremonial position.”
The Baltic states also expressed their concern on Saturday.
Estonia’s permanent mission to the UN said in a statement on Twitter that it was “shameful and humiliating” for the UN Security Council that Russia should be its president.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis mockingly congratulated Russia for taking over the presidency.
“Looking forward to some vigorous discussions on Ukraine’s proposal for the destination of your warships,” he wrote.
The Lithuanian foreign ministry’s strategic communications division tweeted that “this presidency is a #BadRussianJoke,” saying it was fitting that Moscow assumed the role on “April Fool’s Day.”
“Russia, waging a brutal war against Ukraine, can only lead the #InsecurityCouncil,” he said.
In an interview with AFP on Thursday, US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said she expects Russia to behave “professionally” in the presidency, but expressed doubts.
“We also expect that they will also look for opportunities to advance their disinformation campaign against Ukraine, the United States and all of our allies,” he said.
“At every opportunity, we will raise our concerns about Russia’s actions,” he added, repeating Washington’s condemnation of Moscow’s “war crimes and human rights violations” in Ukraine.
Moscow assumes the presidency as part of its monthly rotation among the 15 member states of the Security Council, with ties with the West at their lowest point since the Cold War, over the invasion of Ukraine from Russia.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Russia’s continued rotating presidency of the body was “a slap in the face to the international community.”
“He urges the current members of the UNSC to thwart any Russian attempt to abuse his presidency,” he said on Twitter, calling Russia “an outsider of the UNSC.”
Moscow last chaired the council in February 2022 – the same month it invaded Ukraine.
Russia would have little influence on decisions, but would be in charge of the agenda.
Moscow said the Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov he plans to chair a UN Security Council meeting later this month on “effective multilateralism.”
A spokesman for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Maria Zakharova he also said that Lavrov will lead a debate on the Middle East on April 25.
Ukraine has asked Russia to be removed from the Security Council.
“Council of Insecurity”
The United States has also criticized Russia’s membership of the Security Council and its permanent member status.
“A country that flagrantly violates the UN Charter and invades its neighbor has no seat on the UN Security Council,” White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said earlier.
“Unfortunately Russia is a permanent member of the Security Council and there is no feasible international legal way to change that reality,” he added, calling the presidency “a largely ceremonial position.”
The Baltic states also expressed their concern on Saturday.
Estonia’s permanent mission to the UN said in a statement on Twitter that it was “shameful and humiliating” for the UN Security Council that Russia should be its president.
Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis mockingly congratulated Russia for taking over the presidency.
“Looking forward to some vigorous discussions on Ukraine’s proposal for the destination of your warships,” he wrote.
The Lithuanian foreign ministry’s strategic communications division tweeted that “this presidency is a #BadRussianJoke,” saying it was fitting that Moscow assumed the role on “April Fool’s Day.”
“Russia, waging a brutal war against Ukraine, can only lead the #InsecurityCouncil,” he said.
In an interview with AFP on Thursday, US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said she expects Russia to behave “professionally” in the presidency, but expressed doubts.
“We also expect that they will also look for opportunities to advance their disinformation campaign against Ukraine, the United States and all of our allies,” he said.
“At every opportunity, we will raise our concerns about Russia’s actions,” he added, repeating Washington’s condemnation of Moscow’s “war crimes and human rights violations” in Ukraine.