UNSC to hold on Monday first debate chaired by Russia’s Lavrov

23.04.2023 08:20

Ukrinform

An open debate initiated by Russia "on the effective multilateralism through the defense of the principles of the Charter of the United Nations" will be held in the UN Security Council on Monday, April 24, under the chairmanship of Russia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov.

That’s according to the UNSC Secretariat, Ukrinform reports.

Earlier in Russia, this event was announced as a "high-level debate", but most of the member countries will be represented at the meeting by diplomats from their respective missions to the UN, not by foreign ministers or other government officials.

It is expected that Russia will try to convince the Security Council of its adherence to the UN Charter, while representatives from democratic nations will show that Russia grossly violates it by waging a war of aggression against Ukraine.

The UNSC meeting will start at 10:00 (17:00 Kyiv time). The Ukrainian delegation will not participate in the debate.

Lavrov will be chairing the UNSC meeting as Russia gained the rotating presidency of the Security Council in April. In May, this role will be played by Switzerland, while the UAE will chair the body in June.

The Security Council consists of five permanent members of the UN – the United States, Great Britain, France, China, and Russia (occupying the place of the Soviet Union), who have the right to veto, as well as 10 member countries on a rotating basis.