The US Secretary of State accused Russia this Wednesday of “crimes against humanity” in Ukraine “almost daily”, before the UN Security Council, where Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov defended the veto.
“The use of the veto is a legitimate instrument enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations,” the head of Russian diplomacy said before the Security Council, after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for Moscow to be stripped of this power.
Lavrov defended the veto – which consists only of Russia, the United States, China, France and Britain – on a day when the ten non-permanent members of the Security Council also called for a restriction on this power.
The Russian, who has been at the helm of his country’s diplomacy for almost two decades, accused the United States and its allies of “openly and without subterfuge trying to privatize the UN Secretariat (overall) (because they believe) that they have the right to accuse those who for one reason or another are inconvenient for Washington.”
Lavrov referred extensively to the war in Ukraine and limited himself to repeating arguments that Zelensky’s government discriminates and mistreats Russian speakers in the eastern areas.
The head of Russian diplomacy ended his speech with words favorable to developing countries – many of which are the result of coups – that are subject to Security Council sanctions.
“Humanitarian restrictions on sanctions should be considered, as they should be accompanied by considerations by UN agencies on their humanitarian consequences, rather than accompanied by demagogic exhortations from Western colleagues. It’s that simple: don’t make ordinary people suffer,” he said. said.
Although he did not name a specific state, many of the countries subject to sanctions are allies of Moscow, such as Syria, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela or Mali.
Across the table, Ukraine’s ambassador, Sergíy Kyslytsya, sat with his eyes glued to his phone during at least some parts of Lavrov’s remarks, while Blinken took his turn taking handwritten notes.
At a meeting in which a possible confrontation between Zelensky and Lavrov was expected, the two leaders ultimately did not cross paths, with the head of state leaving the room before the Russian minister spoke – in a move already expected by analysts who spoke to Lusa.
“Russia commits war crimes and crimes against humanity in Ukraine almost every day,” Blinken said
During the Security Council meeting, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken accused Russia of regularly committing “crimes against humanity” in Ukraine, which it invaded in February 2022.
“Russia commits war crimes and crimes against humanity in Ukraine on an almost daily basis,” Blinken told the UN Security Council shortly after Zelenskiy’s intervention.
Antony Blinken also attacked the close ties between Russia and North Korea and warned of Pyongyang’s possible military support for Russia in light of the war in Ukraine.
The American was referring to a meeting last week between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, whom he called a “dictator.”
“Putin said they discussed ways to cooperate militarily and Kim expressed his unconditional support for Russia in the war. An arms shipment between Moscow and Pyongyang would violate several resolutions of this Council,” he emphasized.
Blinken said it is “difficult to find a country that despises the principles of the United Nations more” than Russia, accusing Moscow of violating the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity with its invasion of Ukraine.
Source: DN
