Ukraine this Friday criticized the fact that starting today and throughout April, Russia will assume the rotating presidency of the United Nations Security Council. “It is a clear reminder that there is something wrong with the way the international security architecture works,” Ukrainian diplomacy chief Dmytro Kuleba wrote on Twitter, who had already spoken of “a bad joke”.
“A state that systematically undermines international peace and security will preside over the body charged with maintaining it,” he said. remembered Kuleba. The day before he had already claimed that “Russia has taken its place” in this body, “it is waging a colonial war, its leader is a war criminal wanted by the International Criminal Court for kidnapping children” and reiterated that “the world cannot be a safe place with Russia in the Security Council”.
Moscow has already signaled that its head of diplomacy, Sergei Lavrov, will himself chair some of the meetings deemed “important” this month – a debate on “effective multilateralism through the defense of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations” and another on the Middle East, April 25. The US also criticizes Russia taking the lead, but indicates that as a permanent member there was no way to prohibit that.
Zelensky in Bucha
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that he would never forgive the Russian forces responsible for the atrocities in Bucha, nor forget what happened a year after the city was liberated. “We will never forget the victims of this war and we will certainly bring all Russian murderers to justice. We will never forgivehe said during his visit to Bucha with the President of Moldova and the Prime Ministers of Croatia, Slovakia and Slovenia.
“The battle for the creation of the free world is taking place on Ukrainian territory. We will win. Russian evil will fall here in Ukraine,” declared Zelensky, who regarded Bucha as the “symbol of atrocities” of the occupier. “In the streets of Bucha, the world saw Russian evil – evil without masks”, indicated the chairman. Kiev estimates that “more than 1,400” civilians died in the region while the Russians were there (March 12-31, 2022), including 637 in the city.
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden has asked Russia to release Wall Street Journal journalist Evan Gershkovich, who is being held on espionage charges. “Free him,” Biden just said when asked about the topic. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov claims he was caught “red-handed”, that the situation is “plain and simple” and that he spied under the guise of journalism.
Sanchez and Macron with Xi
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said during a visit to China that he had encouraged Chinese President Xi Jinping to speak with his Ukrainian counterpart. “I encouraged President Xi to have a talk with President Zelensky to learn firsthand about the Ukrainian government’s peace plan,” he told reporters, acknowledging the “attempt” the Chinese have done to “position themselves” on the issue.
The next European leader to visit Beijing on Wednesday is Frenchman Emmanuel Macron. An adviser to the president told reporters Macron would tell Xi that if China supported Russia militarily, it would be a “disastrous decision”. The Élysée says it wants to “avoid the worst”, drawing attention from Beijing.
Source: DN
