Russia continues to engage in reckless nuclear rattling: US State Secy Blinken at UN Security Council
U
S State Secretary Antony Blinken on Wednesday said that Russia is committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Ukraine on a daily basis and violated the UN charter of respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations.
While speaking at the United Nations Security Council session in New York today, Blinken emphasised that Russia is using Europe's biggest nuclear power plant to save itself from the catastrophic consequences of its aggression against Ukraine.
He said, "Russia continues to engage in reckless nuclear rattling, announcing that it's stationing nuclear weapons in Belarus. And continuing to use Europe's biggest nuclear power plant and its employees as a shield for its aggression, risking catastrophic consequences."
Blinken accused Russia of using Iranian drones against Ukraine and alleged that Russia procured from Iran in violation of the Security Council resolution.
He added that it was possible to hold Russia accountable for the war in Ukraine and confront other issues, including the climate crisis and expanding economic opportunity. "We can and we must do both," he said. "We are doing both."
US State Secretary also commented on the North Korean President's recent visit to Russia and his commitment to Russia for full support and said, "Just last week, Russia hosted North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. Putin said that they discussed ways to cooperate militarily. Kim pledged the DPRK's and I, quote, full and unconditional support, end quote, for Russia's war of oppression. Of course, the transfer of arms between Moscow and Pyongyang would violate multiple resolutions of this council."
Earlier in the same session, Slamming Russia at the United Nations Security Council over its invasion of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the UN finds itself in a 'deadlock' on the issue of aggression.
Participating in a special UNSC session in New York today, Zelenskyy said, "We should acknowledge that the UN finds itself in a deadlock on the issue of aggression. Humankind no longer pins its hopes on the UN when it comes to the defence of the sovereign borders of nations. But I would not be here today if Ukraine had no proposals for solutions."
On Russia's seat in the Security Council, he added by saying, "All in the world see what makes the UN incapable. This seat in the Security Council, which Russia occupied illegally, through backstage manipulations following the collapse of the USSR, has been taken by liars whose job is to whitewash Russia's ongoing aggression and genocide."
As he continued to speak at the session, the Ukrainian President also highlighted how Russian aggression is a violation of the UN charter."...But it is not just Russian aggression against Ukraine. The terrorist state is willing to undermine all the dams of international norms meant to protect the world from wars. And I am grateful to all those who have recognized the Russian aggression as a violation of the UN Charter.
Notably, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is also in New York to attend the UN Security Council meeting.
Pushing for sustained support for Kyiv at the UNSC, Zelenskyy said Veto power in the hands of the aggressor is what has pushed the UN into a dead end.
Ukrainian soldiers are currently doing at the expense of their blood what the UNSC should do by its voting - stopping aggression and upholding the UN Charter. For security architecture to be strong, concrete steps must be taken to reinforce the principle of territorial integrity," he added.
Zelenskyy further said that all UNGA members who are not designated as aggressors must have enhanced participation in and access to the operations of the council and its subsidiary organisations.
Earlier at the UN General Assembly yesterday, he proposed using his "Formula of Peace" initiative as a potential example of ending conflicts and a universal tool for protecting countries from aggressors.
The Ukrainian peace plan is spreading globally. It details the fixes and actions required to stop all militarised tactics that Russia is employing against Ukraine and other nations, as well as those that other aggressors could employ.
According to Euro News, Zelenskyy has a number of meetings scheduled in New York, including ones with American lawmakers and leaders of African nations. Among them is Republican Kevin McCarthy, Speaker of the US House of Representatives.
On February 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine in an escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War which began in 2014.
The invasion has killed tens of thousands on both sides. Russian forces have been accused of mass civilian casualties and of torturing captured Ukrainian soldiers.
✔️ Russia continues to engage in reckless nuclear rattling: US State Secy Blinken at UN Security Council
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