WASHINGTON (Washington Insider Magazine) – At the request of the United States, the United Nations Security Council will meet for the first time on Monday to discuss Russia’s troop buildup and intimidating actions against Ukraine, and all major players are intended to square off in audience over the prospect of a Russian invasion and its worldwide implications.
Russia’s activities, according to US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, are a clear threat to global peace and security as well as the United Nations Charter. While scheduling the meeting on Thursday, she said that members of the Security Council must analyze the facts and evaluate what is at risk for Ukraine, Russia, Europe, and the key commitments and values of the global order if Russia invades Ukraine again.
Dmitry Polyansky, Russia’s deputy United Nations ambassador, responded on Twitter, saying, he can’t recall any time when an SC (Security Council) member suggested to debate its own false claims and conclusions as a threat to international order from someone else. Hopefully, fellow UNSC colleagues will not accept this obvious PR attempt that is damaging to the UN Security Council’s credibility.
According to Polyansky’s reaction, Russia may begin the conference by requesting a procedural poll on whether it should proceed. Russia would require the approval of 9 of the 15 members to prevent the summit from taking place.
According to a top official in the Biden administration, the US is in constant contact with council members and is sure that the meeting will be well-attended.
The stationing of approximately 100,000 Russian troops along Ukraine’s border has prompted increasingly harsh warnings from the West that Russia is planning an invasion. Russia is asking that NATO guarantee that Ukraine will never be admitted to the alliance, that NATO armaments will not be deployed near Russian borders, and that NATO forces will withdraw from Eastern Europe. These demands are deemed unachievable by NATO and the US, reported ABC News.
If the meeting goes forward, a senior United Nations official will give a briefing, followed by statements from the council’s 15 members, which include Russia, the United States, and European members France, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and Albania. Ukraine will speak as well, according to council norms.
China’s U.N. Ambassador Zhang Jun, whose nation has strong relations with Russia, has stated that China supports Russia’s opposition to the council meeting.
Nikolai Patrushev, the head of Russia’s Security Council, dismissed Western threats of an invasion on Sunday.
