Status: 21.09.2023, 09:58 a.m.
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Volodymyr Zelensky meets the Russian delegation at the UN General Assembly and delivers a memorable speech to the Security Council.
United Nations, New York - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denounced the UN Security Council's inaction on the Russian invasion of his country in a rare meeting with senior Russian politicians within the United Nations on Wednesday.
Wearing an olive green military-style shirt, Zelensky demanded that countries that violate UN principles and unjustifiably invade other countries be suspended from their seats on the Security Council. He spoke just steps away from the fiery Russian ambassador to the United Nations, Vasily Nebenzya, who was scrolling on his phone and staring ambivalently ahead as the Ukrainian leader delivered his speech.
Zelensky addresses the UN Security Council
"Most of the world recognizes the truth about this war," Zelensky said in the plenary hall. "We should note that the UN is at an impasse on the issue of aggression," he said. "World leaders are looking for new platforms and alliances that could reduce the catastrophic scale of the problems, the problems that are being met here within these walls with rhetoric instead of real solutions, with aspirations to compromise with murderers instead of protecting lives."
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Zelensky's appearance at a UN Security Council debate came a day before a series of talks in Washington, which American and Ukrainian officials say are crucial. Zelensky is scheduled to start the day with sessions in Congress, visit the Pentagon to meet with top leadership, and visit the Oval Office in the afternoon.
Zelensky calls for more support in the Ukraine war in Washington
Meanwhile, Republican support for continuing to fund Ukraine's war effort is crumbling. Zelenskyy's efforts in Washington received a boost on Wednesday when House Speaker Kevin McCarthy agreed to organize a meeting with him and other members of the House of Representatives on Thursday morning. This development followed days of uncertainty on the part of the Republican caucus leader, who had refused to say whether he would speak with Zelenskyy as some members of his fractious faction seek to cut US support for the war.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Mark A. Milley briefed the Senate on Wednesday night on the latest developments in the Ukraine war and the need for further U.S. support. The senators declined to elaborate on details of the secret briefing, but Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said that the assurance of the government's request for additional assistance was urgently needed.
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"If we don't attach money to the [ongoing resolution], there will be immediate supply chain issues for Ukraine," Murphy said in an interview. He said the briefing "confirmed" that urgency.
Zelensky visits the UN at a "critical time"
Zelensky's visit comes at a "critical time as Russia moves closer to countries like North Korea and Iran," White House spokesman John Kirby said. President Joe Biden could be given a "battlefield perspective" by Ukraine's commander-in-chief as the counteroffensive to retake Russian-occupied territories continues to progress, Kirby said.
The Security Council debate was Zelenskyy's second appearance at the UN Assembly after addressing the General Assembly on Tuesday. In his speech on Wednesday, he made concrete proposals to expand representation in the Security Council and suspend Russia's right of veto in this body, which has strangled the UN's toughest proposals in response to the invasion.
Zelensky meets Russian delegation at UN Assembly
But on Wednesday, it was Zelensky's proximity to the Russian delegation that gave the most talk. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov skipped Zelensky's appearance. Instead, Nebenzya sat at the table on the Russian square. He gave the Ukrainian leader only a brief glance when Zelensky complained about the Russian "aggressor" and spoke of the need for greater global representation among permanent members. Following his remarks, Zelensky left the Security Council and rejected a confrontation with Lavrov, as neither of the two representatives seemed interested in honoring the other with his presence.
Richard Gowan, a UN expert at the International Crisis Group, said Zelenskyy's emphasis on Security Council reform was "smart, but also a little idealistic." "He will have struck a chord with many UN members who believe that the Council needs a serious overhaul. But the hurdles for reforming the UN Charter are also very high," he said.
Zelensky attacks Putin at UN General Assembly
Zelensky's early departure also meant that he missed remarks from key Western allies, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who used his speaking space to accuse Russia of "contempt" for the UN system. Russian President Vladimir Putin "is counting on the world to abandon its principles and Ukraine to stop defending itself if he continues to double the violence and make enough people suffer," Blinken said. "But the Ukrainians are not giving up."
Lavrov, who arrived at the council just before his speech, accused the United States of interfering in Ukraine and accused Washington of buying Ukrainian officials. He also accused the Security Council of "selectively" respecting the UN Charter.
Lavrov leaves little hope for peaceful solution at UN General Assembly
Other leaders present in the plenary chamber said Lavrov's speech left little hope for an early resolution of the conflict. "With almost any country, including China, you can find common ground," Czech President Petr Pavel said in an interview. "With Russia, it's like we're moving in parallel universes. Their vision of the world is to a large extent, sometimes even deliberately, different from everyone else. I don't see any chance to start a meaningful discussion," he said.
Chinese Deputy Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu praised China's efforts to facilitate negotiations in the conflict, saying his country had played a "positive and constructive role" in trying to resolve the crisis with its 12-point peace plan. This document, which provides for the cessation of hostilities and the start of peace talks, has received little criticism from most countries, but has not gained traction since Beijing presented it earlier this year.
At the United Nations, no one seems to want to talk to the Russians
When the heads of state and government and diplomats poured into the plenary chamber before the debate, no one seemed to want to talk to the Russians. While the others mingled with those present, Nebenzya sat alone at the curved table, occasionally turning to exchange a few words with the other Russian diplomats behind him.
Then, as the proceedings began, he interrupted the debate and, by applying the rules of procedure, tried to force Ukrainians to speak after all members of the Security Council, and not at the very beginning. "They're trying to turn [the Security Council] into a one-man stand-up show," Nebenzya said.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, who holds the presidency of the Security Council this month, shot back: "There is a solution to this problem if you agree. End the war, and President Zelensky will not speak." Russia's veto "paralyzed the Council, but did not silence it," he said later in the debate.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres also called for an end to the war and condemned Russia's actions, which he said put not only Ukrainians at risk, but the whole world. "Russia's invasion of Ukraine is a clear violation of the United Nations Charter and international law. It exacerbates geopolitical tensions and divisions, threatens regional stability, increases the nuclear threat and creates deep cracks in our increasingly multipolar world," he said.
Zelensky and allies hope for delivery of ATACMS missiles
The most vehement supporters of Ukraine had hoped for an announcement from the White House during Zelensky's visit to supply long-range ATACMS (Army Tactical Missile System) tactical missile systems. According to its own statements, this type of missile would help Ukraine attack Russian command posts and critical supply routes far from the front line. However, Kirby, the White House spokesman, hinted that such a move this week was unlikely. "ATACMS are not off the table. We continue to discuss this particular weapon system, but no decision has been made yet," he said.
U.N. diplomacy on Wednesday coincided with a high-level Chinese visit to Moscow, during which Foreign Minister Wang Yi renounced New York to meet Putin. The Russian leader praised "the high level" of relations between Moscow and Beijing and stressed that the two countries have found common ground against US "hegemony". "As for international affairs, we stand here with a unified position on the formation of a multipolar world, and not a world based on rules that no one has seen and that change every day in favor of those who came up with this ridiculous formula," Putin said.
Maria Ilyushina in Riga, Latvia, Sarah Dadouch in Beirut, and Abigail Hauslohner and Karen DeYoung in Washington contributed to this report.
About the authors
Michael Birnbaum is a national security reporter for The Washington Post, covering the State Department and diplomacy. Prior to that, he worked in Europe for more than a decade as head of the post office in Brussels, Moscow and Berlin, reporting from more than 40 countries. From Washington, he reported on climate and security. He has been working for Swiss Post since 2008.
John Hudson is a reporter at The Washington Post, covering the State Department and national security. He was part of the team that made it to the final round of the Pulitzer Prize for Public Relations for covering the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. He has reported from dozens of countries, including Ukraine, China, Afghanistan, India and Belarus.
We are currently testing machine translations. This article has been automatically translated from English into German.
This article was first published in English by "Washingtonpost.com" on September 21, 2023 - in the course of a cooperation, it is now also available in translation to the readers of IPPEN. MEDIA portals.