By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Ukraine has reacted to the emergence of Russia as the April president of the United Nations Security Council with effect from April 1, saying it is “the world’s worst April Fool’s joke.”
Presidency of the security council rotates alphabetically among its 15 member nations. The body is controlled by its five permanent members, including the US and Russia.
According to reports Moscow last chaired the council in February 2022, the same month it invaded Ukraine – prompting Kyiv to call for Russia’s removal from the council.
Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba says a country accused of war crimes cannot be in charge of the United Nations Security Council, referring to the invasion of Ukraine last year by Russia and issuance of arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Russia’s leader, Vladimir Putin.
“The country which systematically violates all fundamental rules of international security is presiding over a body whose only mission is to safeguard and protect international security,” Kuleba said.
Ukrainian authorities further say Russia’s presidency of the UN Security Council for April is “a symbolic blow”, thus joining a chorus of outrage from Western countries.
Through its Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, Moscow has said it plans to chair a UN Security Council meeting this month on “effective multilateralism”, with the minister leading a debate on the Middle East on April 25.
