Ajit Karn
Moscow: Moscow announced that its foreign minister will preside over a meeting of the United Nations Security Council in April, when Russia will hold the rotating presidency of the international body.
Russia has repeatedly asserted that it was confronted at the United Nations by the “collective West” since the beginning of the Ukraine offensive.
Ukraine has demanded that Russia be expelled from the Security Council as a result of the military operation launched in February of last year.
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Russia’s last presidency of the council was in February 2022.
“Another key event of the Russian presidency (of the Security Council) will be a high-level open debate on ‘effective multilateralism through the defense of the principles of the UN Charter,'” Maria Zakharova, a ministry spokeswoman, said at a press briefing.
She added, “This meeting will be presided over by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.”
Ms. Zakharova added that Mr. Lavrov planned to conduct a discussion on the Middle East situation on April 25.
Ukraine previously criticized the impending presidential transition.
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted, “The Russian presidency of the UN Security Council beginning April 1 is a joke.”
Mr. Kuleba stated, “Russia has usurped its seat; it is waging a colonial war; and its leader is a war criminal wanted by the International Criminal Court for kidnapping children.”
The presidency alternates among the 15 member nations every month.
However, Russia would be responsible for determining the agenda of the international body.
