Russia assumes the presidency of the UN Security Council despite criticism from Ukraine: “It’s a bad joke”

The United Nations Security Council meeting at the UN headquarters in New York (REUTERS/David ‘Dee’ Delgado/File) (DAVID DEE DELGADO/)

Russia assumes the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council this Saturdaya responsibility that he will occupy for a month and that is fundamentally formal, but that has angered the Ukrainian government and has generated calls for boycott.

During April, the Russian delegation will be in charge of managing the work agenda and chairing the meetings of the highest decision-making body of the United Nations, at whose head a Member State is placed each month based on a rotation in alphabetical order.

One of the main benefits of the position is that the Presidency can organize special sessions on matters that he considers particularly important and that are often attended by members of the government.

In the Russian case, it is expected that the Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrovtrip to New York for chair at least two of these meetingsone focused on respect for the United Nations Charter and another on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, according to diplomatic sources.

The official program, which will be approved and presented next Monday, is full in any case of routine meetings on the different conflicts and issues that the Council deals with, regardless of who chairs it.

Dmytro Kuleba (REUTERS/David Dee Delgado/File)
Dmytro Kuleba (REUTERS/David Dee Delgado/File) (DAVID DEE DELGADO/)

“A bad joke”

For Ukraine, however, seeing Russia at the head of the most important body of the UN means “a bad joke”, according to his foreign minister said this week, Dmytro Kuleba.

Russia usurped a seat, is waging a colonial war, its leader is a war criminal wanted by the ICC for kidnapping childrenKuleba said via Twitter, referring to the Ukrainian position that Moscow illegally inherited the post from the Soviet Union and the recent decision of the International Criminal Court against Vladimir Putin.

In a recent opinion piece, the Ukrainian ambassador to the UN, Sergiy Kyslytsyastressed that the Presidency gives Russia real powerrecalled that the last time she held it was when the invasion began and defended that there is a legal basis to exclude her from that position, and even to expel her from the Security Council.

This interpretation of the rules, however, clashes with that of most countries, including Western powers, which consider that the rules do not allow such a measure.

For now, Council countries are not expected to listen to boycott calls launched by some pro-Ukrainian organizations and, at most, they could choose to send lower-ranking diplomats to some of the meetings hosted by Russia, according to diplomats.

In general, the rest of the powers consider that the work of the body should not be endangered and downplay the figure of the Presidency.

“I don’t think we should give it great importance,” said a Western diplomat this week who requested anonymity and who was convinced that Russia will exercise responsibility in a “professional” manner.

(With information from EFE)

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Source-www.infobae.com