The meeting of the UN Security Council (UNSC) presided over by Russian Foreign Minister (FM) Sergey Lavrov on Monday was overshadowed by the West criticising Russia for violating the UN Charter by invading Ukraine.
Russia currently holds the rotating presidency of the UNSC, and Lavrov convened the meeting to discuss “Effective Multilateralism through the Defence of the Principles of the Charter of the United Nation.”
Lavrov’s Allegations Regarding the West
In his opening remarks, Lavrov made several allegations against Ukraine and its Western allies, blaming them for the war. He declared, “as was the case during the Cold War, we have reached the dangerous, possibly even more dangerous threshold,” and slammed the West for abandoning diplomacy and demanding clarification of relations on the battlefield.
Prior to the conference, Lavrov stated that the UN system was “enduring a profound crisis,” for which he blamed Western countries, primarily the US. He claimed that the US wants to “leverage the openly racist regime” in Ukraine to eliminate its rivals and undermine Russia.
The Russian FM told the reporters that “It is not all about Ukraine.” “It is about how international relations will continue to be shaped through the establishment of a sound consensus on the basis of balance of interests or through the aggressive and volatile advancement of Washington’s hegemony.”
#SergeyLavrov chaired a #UNSC meeting on Monday, drawing condemnation from Western countries. Moscow has assumed presidency of the key UN body for April, at a time when it continues its war in Ukraine #RussiaUkraineWar https://t.co/FAIWrXO25c
— Firstpost (@firstpost) April 25, 2023
Lavrov further said that the West is creating a “rules-based order,” in which it forbids access to contemporary technology and financial services to penalise nations it disagrees with. He also sharply criticised the actions of NATO members in the Western Pacific, particularly the alliance between Australia, UK, and the US (AUKUS), and the expansion of American connections with Japan, South Korea, and many Southeast Asian nations.
During the meeting, Lavrov’s speech focused on certain claims — some of which have been categorised as “false” or “misleading” in a fact check by German news outlet DW — including Russia battling Nazis in Ukraine and the West’s disingenuous approach regarding the Minsk Agreements.
West Denounces Russia’s Actions
Western nations condemned Russia’s “special military operation” in Ukraine and its hypocrisy in the topic chosen for the open debate. EU Ambassador to the UN Olaf Skoog stated, “By organising this debate, Russia is trying to portray itself as a defender of the UN Charter and multilateralism. Nothing can be further from the truth. It is cynical.”
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also denounced Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as a “violation” of international law and the UN charter. He said that the war has devastated Ukraine and caused tremendous suffering by aggravating the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global economy.
Guterres conveyed that the potential risk of conflict between the global powers was at a “historic high” and emphasised that the Council’s permanent members had a special obligation to ensure that multilateralism succeeds rather than contribute to its dismemberment.
US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the council that Russia was a “hypocritical convener” of the meeting since its “illegal, unprovoked, and unnecessary” war in Ukraine “struck at the heart of the UN Charter and all that we hold dear.” She also accused Russia for breaking international law by illegally detaining Americans, demanding the release of Wall Street Journal writer Evan Gershkovich and ex-marine Paul Whelan.