Russia and US clash over Ukraine at UN
THE United States and Russia squared off at the UN Security Council, where Moscow lost an attempt to block a public meeting on its troop build-up near Ukraine’s borders and Western fears of an invasion.
US ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield dismissed a charge by Russian ambassador Vassily Nebenzia that Washington was trying “to whip up hysterics” and use “megaphone diplomacy” by calling the first Security Council meeting on the crisis.
“Imagine how uncomfortable you would be if you had 100,000 troops on your border,” Ms Thomas-Greenfield said.
The vote on holding an open meeting passed 10-2, with Russia and China opposed, and three abstentions. The vote needed nine votes to be approved.
UN undersecretary-general for political affairs Rosemary DiCarlo then went ahead with an open briefing, to be followed by speeches from the 15 council members.
US President Joe Biden said in a statement that the meeting was “a critical step in rallying the world to speak out in one voice” to reject the use of force, seek military de-escalation, support diplomacy and demand accountability from every member “to refrain from military aggression against its neighbours”.
The session kicked off more highlevel diplomacy this week, although talks between the US and Russia have so far failed to ease tensions in the crisis. Russia has massed the estimated 100,000 troops near the borders of its southern neighbour, stoking fears in the West of an invasion.
Russia denies it intends to launch an attack, but demanded that Nato promise never to allow Ukraine to join the alliance, halt the deployment of Nato weapons near Russian borders, and roll back its forces from eastern Europe.