Russia’s Lavrov receives blistering criticism for the Kremlin’s conflict in Ukraine at UN

UNITED NATIONS — America and Western allies took turns slamming Russia for its ongoing conflict in Ukraine and accused Moscow of trampling the U.N. Constitution, throughout a prolonged Safety Council assembly chaired by Russian Overseas Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Lavrov, who flew from Moscow to New York to preside over the Safety Council, defended his nation’s “particular army operation” in Ukraine in opening remarks earlier than the worldwide discussion board. He additionally reiterated claims that Kyiv is the actual aggressor.

Lavrov then blamed america for exacerbating geopolitical challenges around the globe, together with tensions between China and Taiwan.

Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the U.S. ambassador to the U.N., positioned the blame squarely again on Russia throughout her opening remarks earlier than the 15-member group.

“Our hypocritical convener at present, Russia, invaded its neighbor Ukraine and struck on the coronary heart of the U.N. Constitution,” Thomas-Greenfield stated, referring to the U.N.’s founding doc that vows to protect sovereignty, peace, justice and the prevention of conflict.

“This unlawful, unprovoked and pointless conflict runs instantly counter to our most sacred precept: {that a} conflict of aggression and territorial conquest isn’t, ever acceptable,” she stated. “Right now it is Ukraine, however tomorrow it might be one other nation, one other small nation that’s invaded by its bigger neighbor,” she added.

In direct remarks to Lavrov, Thomas-Greenfield reiterated requires the fast launch of Wall Avenue Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, whose sister attended the assembly.

“I would like minister Lavrov to look into her eyes and see her struggling. I would like you to see what it is prefer to miss your brother for 4 years. To know he’s locked up, in a Russian penal colony, merely since you need to use him to your personal ends,” Thomas-Greenfield stated.

U.N. Secretary-Common Antonio Guterres, who sat subsequent to Lavrov, criticized Russia’s conflict, saying it was in violation of the United Nations Constitution and worldwide legislation.

The battle, he stated, was “inflicting large struggling and devastation to the nation and its individuals and including to the worldwide financial dislocation triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic.”

He warned that tensions between the world’s main powers had been at a “historic excessive.”

Guterres additionally known as for the extension of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, a U.N.-backed deal that established a humanitarian sea hall for Ukrainian agricultural merchandise.

The settlement has allowed for greater than 25 million metric tons of grain and foodstuff to depart from Ukrainian ports for locations around the globe. Russia has beforehand stated that it could not renew the settlement, which has an expiration date in mid-Could.

Britain’s U.N. Ambassador Barbara Woodward stated Russian President Vladimir Putin’s conflict in Ukraine has introduced “unimaginable struggling to that nation whereas trampling on the U.N. Constitution.”

“Hundreds of Ukrainians have been killed and thousands and thousands have been displaced,” she stated, including that billions of individuals around the globe are feeling the brunt of upper vitality costs and meals insecurity due to the Kremlin’s ongoing battle.

She added the conflict additionally has triggered “an unmitigated catastrophe for Russia too.”

Japan’s envoy additionally blasted Moscow’s conflict and demanded a direct withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine.

“It’s an irony, even a tragedy, that the Russian Federation, a everlasting member of the U.N. Safety Council, continues its unilateral aggression towards Ukraine whereas internet hosting an open debate on efficient multilateralism by the protection of the precept of the U.N. Constitution,” stated Ishikane Kimihiro, everlasting consultant of Japan to the United Nations.

“The unprovoked, ongoing aggression by Russia is nothing however an outright defiance of the precept of the U.N. Constitution,” he added.