Lavrov criticized for Russia’s war in Ukraine at UN

UN — The US and its Western allies alternately accused Russia of the ongoing war in Ukraine and accused Moscow of trampling on the UN Charter at a lengthy Security Council meeting chaired by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. condemned.

Lavrov flew from Moscow to New York preside over the Security Council, in his opening address before an international forum, defended his country’s “special military operation” in Ukraine. He also reiterated the claim that Kiev was the real aggressor.

Lavrov then accused the United States of exacerbating geopolitical challenges around the world, including tensions between China and Taiwan.

US Ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas Greenfield, in her opening remarks before a group of 15 members, flatly denied Russia’s responsibility.

“Today’s hypocritical convener, Russia, invaded neighboring Ukraine and struck a blow to the heart of the UN Charter,” said Thomas Greenfield, preserving sovereignty, peace, justice and the prevention of war. He referred to the founding document of the United Nations, which pledged to

“This illegal, provocative and unnecessary war is in direct conflict with our most sacred principles and wars of aggression and territorial conquest will never be accepted,” she said. But tomorrow it could be another country, another small country invaded by a larger neighbor,” she added.

Speaking directly to Lavrov, Thomas Greenfield echoed calls for the immediate release of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan.

“I want Minister Lavrov to look into her eyes, to see her suffering, to see how I missed my brother for four years, to know that he was imprisoned in a Russian penal colony. , simply because you want to use him for your own purposes,” said Thomas Greenfield.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres, seated next to Mr Lavrov, criticized Russia’s war as a violation of the UN Charter and international law.

He said the conflict “is causing massive suffering and devastation to countries and their people, and is contributing to the global economic turmoil caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.”

He warned that tensions between world powers are at “historic heights”.

Guterres also called for an extension of the Black Sea Grains Initiative, a UN-backed deal that would establish a humane maritime corridor for Ukrainian agricultural products.

The agreement has enabled more than 25 million tons of grain and food products to depart from Ukrainian ports to destinations around the world. Russia has previously said it may not renew the deal, which expires in mid-May.

British Ambassador to the UN Barbara Woodward said Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine had brought “unimaginable suffering to the country while trampling on the UN Charter”.

“Thousands of Ukrainians have been killed and millions have been forced from their homes,” she said, adding that the ongoing conflict in the Kremlin has caused billions of people around the world to lose energy prices. are bearing the brunt of rising food security and food insecurity, he added.

She also added that the war had caused “an unfathomable disaster for Russia as well.”

The Japanese envoy also condemned the war in Moscow and called for the immediate withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine.

“It is ironic that the Russian Federation, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, continues its unilateral attack on Ukraine while hosting a public debate on effective multilateralism through its defense of the principles of the UN Charter. and even tragic,” said Kimihiro Ishikane, Japan’s representative to the United Nations.

“Russia’s continued gratuitous attacks amount to blatant defiance of the principles of the UN Charter,” he added.