Russia assumes the presidency of the UN Security Council: “It’s a slap in the face,” says Ukraine

While stepping up its war offensive in Ukraine, Russia assumed the rotating presidency of the United Nations Security Council in April, infuriating much of the international community. uniting others outraged voices among western countries, kyiv called on members of the body not to allow moscow to abuse that position.

“Russia’s presidency of the UN Security Council is a slap in the face of the international community,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba complained on Twitter.

The last time Moscow presided over the Council was in February 2022, the same month its troops invaded Ukraine, starting a war that has raged on without end until now.

“I urge current members of the UN Security Council to counter any attempts by Russia to abuse its presidency,” Kuleba tweeted, on the first day Moscow assumes the monthly leadership of the UN executive body.

The Security Council is made up of 15 members, of which five – the United States, the United Kingdom, France, China and Russia – are permanent and have the right of veto. The presidency rotates every month.

Kuleba on Thursday called Russia’s presidency of the Council a “bad joke”, considering Russia an “outlawed” country, which “usurped its position” in the Council.

“Its president is a war criminal wanted by the International Criminal Court for kidnapping children,” he stressed, alluding to the arrest warrant issued this month by that court against Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Russia’s plans

Kiev’s criticisms have not impressed Moscow, which has announced that its delegation to the UN will be led by the head of Russian diplomacy, Sergei Lavrov, who has taken over from Mozambique.

Lavrov intends to personally chair a Security Council meeting on “effective multilateralism” later this month, his spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, told reporters.

The spokeswoman also indicated that Lavrov will also lead a debate on the Middle East on April 25.

“In case of abuses by the (Russian) presidency, we will certainly react,” a UN Security Council diplomat said from New York, speaking on condition of anonymity.

However, “that’s not the point. The point is the war in Ukraine and to end it,” he added.

The first meeting of the Council under the current Russian presidency will take place behind closed doors on Monday morning, and will be followed by a press conference by the permanent representative of the Russian Federation to the UN, Vasily Nebenzia.

The reaction of the United States

“A country that flagrantly violates the United Nations Charter and invades its neighbor has no place in the United Nations Security Council,” White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said in Washington.

“Unfortunately, Russia is a permanent member of the Security Council and there is no viable international legal path to change that reality,” he added, calling the presidency a “largely ceremonial assignment.”

Russia will actually have little influence over decisionsbut he will be responsible for the agenda.

The Baltic countries, which, like Ukraine, were part of the Soviet Union, called the inauguration of April 1 “innocent”, which for many countries is April Fool’s Day and, therefore, a day prone to jokes. .

April 1 “is a perfect day” for Russia, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said.

“Russia, which is waging a brutal war against Ukraine, can only lead the #Insecurity Council,” he tweeted.

Estonian envoy to the UN, Rein Tammsaar, considered Friday “shameful, humiliating and dangerous for the credibility and effective functioning of the body” that Russia assumes the presidency of the Council on the anniversary of the massacre in the Ukrainian city of Bucha, attributed to Muscovite troops.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said in an interview with AFP on Thursday that she expected Russia to perform “professionally” in the presidency of the council, but expressed doubts.

Source: AFP