Status: 01.04.2023 5:16 p.m
Russia has taken over the presidency of the UN Security Council, the most important UN body. Heavy criticism comes from Ukraine. The US called on Russia to behave professionally in the role.
Accompanied by clear criticism from Ukraine, Russia has taken over the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council. The head of the Ukrainian presidential staff, Andriy Yermak, described this as a disgrace. It was another blow to the rule-based system of international relations, Yermak wrote on Twitter.
According to US broadcaster CNN, Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Russia’s assumption of the presidency on April 1 was the worst April Fool’s joke ever and further evidence that something is wrong in the international security architecture.
On Twitter, Kuleba also reminded that the Russian head of state Vladimir Putin was wanted by the International Criminal Court on an arrest warrant. With Russia on the Security Council, the world cannot be a safe place, Kuleba wrote.
Presidency rotates monthly
The Presidency of the Security Council rotates monthly in alphabetical order of member states. The Kremlin declared on Friday that it wanted to exercise all of its rights as a presidency state. This includes, among other things, convening the committee’s own meetings. According to the British “Guardian”, Russia is planning three of them. Russia last held the presidency in February 2022 – when it invaded Ukraine.
USA calls for “professional behavior”.
Shortly before taking over the presidency, the United States had asked Russia to “behave professionally” in the role – but apparently assumed the opposite: “We expect that Russia will continue to use its seat on the Council to spread disinformation” and its actions in Ukraine, a spokeswoman for the White House said. “Unfortunately, Russia is a permanent member of the Security Council and there is no viable international legal avenue to change that.”
There is no way to prevent Russia from taking over. Western members of the body could reduce their representation in the Council during the Russian presidency. But there will be no boycott.
At the council meeting on Friday, there was a dispute over Putin’s announcement that nuclear weapons would be stationed in Belarus. Even Russia’s partner China is not impressed – but avoided open criticism of Moscow.