Security Council | Zelensky calls on the UN to strip Russia of its vote

(Kyiv) Ukraine’s president called on Saturday to strip Russia’s invading Ukraine of its right to vote in the UN Security Council, during a phone call with the UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres.

During this interview, Volodymyr Zelensky discussed with Mr. Guterres the issue of “depriving the aggressor country of its right to vote in the UN Security Council”, the Ukrainian leader said on Twitter.

The two men also discussed “qualifying Russia’s actions and statements against Ukraine as genocide, and helping to return the bodies of Russian soldiers” killed by Ukrainian troops, according to the same source.

Ukraine has been facing a military invasion launched by Vladimir Putin since Thursday, with bombings and fighting in several cities, including the capital Kiev.

The international community has widely condemned the Russian military offensive and Western countries have announced economic sanctions against Moscow.

On Friday, Russia, which is one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, vetoed a resolution condemning its “aggression” and demanding the withdrawal of its troops from Ukraine.

“Strengthening humanitarian aid to the Ukrainian people”

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a telephone interview on Saturday of “the UN’s determination to strengthen humanitarian aid to the Ukrainian people”, according to a United Nations statement.

The UN chief “informed the (Ukrainian) president that the United Nations would launch an appeal on Tuesday to fund (the organization’s) humanitarian operations in Ukraine,” the statement said.

On Friday, the UN called for “safe and unhindered access” for humanitarian aid in Ukraine, invaded by the Russian army. The organization said it expected up to more than 1.8 million people to be displaced by war in the near future.

The UN also demanded that “the 7.5 million children in Ukraine be protected from the consequences of the conflict” and that all parties refrain from attacking civilian infrastructure, especially those that have an impact on children. (schools, medical facilities and water and sanitation systems).

Before the outbreak of war by Moscow on the night of Wednesday to Thursday, the UN, which has nearly 2,000 employees in Ukraine, brought aid to around three million people, particularly in the east of the country.

Security Council meeting on Sunday

The UN Security Council will meet at 8 p.m. GMT (3 p.m. ET) on Sunday to pass a resolution calling for “referral to the UN General Assembly” to convene a “special session” on Monday. the war between Russia and Ukraine, we learned on Saturday from diplomatic sources.

The adoption of this resolution requires 9 votes in favor out of the 15 members of the Security Council. Such a referral, provided for by a specific UN procedure used very rarely, does not include the possibility of a veto by one of its five permanent members and Moscow will not be able to oppose it.

The objective of this “special session of the General Assembly” will be “to make the 193 members of the United Nations take a position” on the conflict and on “the violation of the Charter of the United Nations”, indicated to AFP a diplomat on condition of anonymity.

The Council meeting on Sunday will be its 4^and since Monday on the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

After a failed Security Council resolution on Friday condemning Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine, which permanent member Russia vetoed, a similar text is expected to be tabled next week. at the UN General Assembly, without necessarily being on Monday, according to diplomats.

Several diplomats told AFP to expect on this occasion to obtain a majority of more than a hundred members of the UN in favor of the text.

Within the General Assembly of the United Nations, the 193 members are all equal, without the right of veto.