Russia rejects US claims its UN council presidency is a joke
Russia’s U.N. ambassador is dismissing U.S. and European Union descriptions of its presidency of the Security Council this month as an April Fool’s joke
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Russia’s U.N. ambassador on Monday dismissed U.S. and European Union descriptions of its presidency of the Security Council this month as an April Fool’s joke and announced a meeting to be chaired by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on defending the principles of the U.N. Charter, which Moscow is widely accused of breaking by invading Ukraine.
U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield told reporters earlier Monday that the U.S. expects the Russians will be professional but will use their presiding seat “to spread disinformation and promote their own agenda as it relates to Ukraine, and we will stand ready to call them out at every single moment that they attempt to do that.”
She and European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell both called Russia's takeover of the council presidency an April Fool's joke.
Under Security Council rules, the presidency rotates monthly in alphabetical order among its 15 members. Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told reporters there will be no change in the rules of the council, which is charged with maintaining international peace and security.
