Russia’s assumption of the rotating presidency of the United Nations Security Council has angered Ukraine and Western fears, at a time when the war in Kiev is escalating ahead of the expected spring battle.
The last time Moscow assumed the rotating presidency of the Security Council was in February 2022, when its forces launched their military operation in Ukraine.
Ukraine criticized the Russian role, as President Volodymyr Zelensky said that with Moscow assuming the presidency of the Security Council, “it is difficult to imagine anything that proves more than the complete bankruptcy of such institutions,” while his Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba described the matter as “a slap in the face of the international community.”
Although it is largely a routine step, the Kremlin and other officials in Russia have pledged that she will “exercise all her rights” while in office.
position west
- According to the British newspaper The Guardian, the United States, Britain, France and their allies in the Security Council are likely to show their disapproval of the presidency by reducing their level of representation in events hosted by Russia throughout the month.
- The United States urged Russia to “act professionally” when it assumed the role, but said there was no way to prevent Moscow from the position.
- The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said that the bloc “will confront any violation” by Russia during its presidency of the Security Council.
Security Council agenda
- Diplomats at the UN headquarters in New York pointed out that most of the UN Security Council’s agenda in April, like any month, is taken up by routine briefings and reports on UN peacekeeping missions around the world.
- The first meeting of the Security Council under the Russian presidency is scheduled for Monday, limited to the usual closed-door discussions on the work program for April.
- Russia plans to hold 3 main sessions during its presidency. On April 10, a briefing session will be held on “risks arising from violations of agreements regulating the export of weapons and military equipment”, in which the United States is expected to concern its arms supplies to Ukraine and other allies in recent years. According to the British newspaper.
- Later in the month, Moscow will chair two open debates on “effective multilateralism” and the situation in the Middle East, which is expected to be chaired by its foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov.
- There are no Security Council sessions on Ukraine scheduled for April, but nine members can vote to force it on the agenda, or members can hold informal sessions on the subject.
Does the dispute erupt in the Council?
The academic specializing in international affairs, Tariq Fahmy, said in statements to “Sky News Arabia” that Russia’s assumption of the presidency of the Security Council comes within the framework of the system of rotation between the permanent members of the Council, and therefore there is nothing in the text of the Charter that prevents it from assuming the position despite the war and political tension. between member states.
Regarding the impact of Russia assuming the presidency of the Security Council in the coming days, Fahmy explained, “The talk about the International Criminal Court issuing an arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin, which contradicts Russia’s assumption of the presidency of the Security Council, is incorrect. Moscow assumes this according to the Council’s charter, and therefore what happened is legal.”
Fahmy added, “The issue lies in the differences or what is called (political quarrels) that will occur within the Council, and the extent of Russia’s control over them and its ability to manage the situation in the Security Council, which is divided against itself, or whether the permanent member states issue a crisis to thwart it.”
Fahmy expected that the Security Council under the presidency of Russia would not be stable, explaining: “The Council will be an arena for more disagreements, divisions and major divergences on international and regional issues, part of which is related to the Russian-Ukrainian war and its repercussions. The second issue is the criticism of the Security Council system, which has become incapable of issuing international resolutions.” binding.”
Fahmy concluded his speech by saying: “It is possible for Russia to employ this presidency to serve its goals and promote war in light of the conviction that there is an international lurking of the Russian leadership, especially since all permanent members have international influence to do so, but they will not succeed in issuing decisions because of the right of veto.”