Russia’s leadership of the United Nations Security Council in April was “a slap in the face of the international community,” Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said this Saturday. The ruler has already called the Russian presidency “a bad joke”.
“I call on the current members of the Security Council to prevent any Russian attempt to abuse the presidency,” Kuleba said at the start of Russia’s term as rotating head of the body.
In a statement on Twitter, Kuleba called Russia “illegal in the United Nations Security Council.”
Moscow has said that Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov plans to chair a Security Council meeting on “useful diversity” later this month. Lavrov will chair a discussion on the Middle East on April 25, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman said.
The United States has criticized Russia’s role and permanent seat on the Security Council.
“A country that blatantly violates the UN Charter and invades its neighbor has no place on the United Nations Security Council,” White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said earlier. “Unfortunately, Russia is a permanent member of the Council and there is no viable international legal path to change this reality,” he added, calling the presidency “a ceremonial position.”
Kuleba previously called the Russian presidency “a bad joke”.
The presidency of the Security Council rotates between the 15 member states every month. Moscow last chaired the Council in February 2022. Russia will have little influence but will be responsible for the agenda.