The UN Security Council meeting on the Kerch crisis turned into a spat between Russia and the United States
An emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on the crisis in the Kerch Strait began with a sparring match between representatives of Russia and the United States, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
US Representative to the UN Nikki Haley called not to consider the interpretation of events proposed by Russia, which included accusing Ukraine of violating the borders of the Russian Federation.
Haley said that the United States considers Crimea and the waters around it as Ukrainian territory.
“We strongly support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders,” she said, calling the incident near Kerch a “Russian provocation” and a “dangerous escalation in violation of international law.”
Deputy Representative of Russia to the UN Dmitry Polyansky answered the Americans.
“On November 25, the Kiev regime created a direct threat to international peace and security by ordering the Ukrainian Navy to commit an aggressive provocation against the state border of the Russian Federation,” he said.
Polyansky emphasized that the violation was carried out “by rather dangerous methods - maneuvering in a rather narrow strait - created risks for the normal movement of ships in this water area.”
“Of course, such banditry must be stopped, and the international community must understand what Kyiv’s actions are leading to,” said the Russian representative.
Then the presiding officer put the agenda of the meeting proposed by Russia to a vote, and at the call of the United States, it did not receive the required number of votes.
“States that claim autonomy and independence in foreign policy, obeying the herd instinct and fearing Washington’s “big brothers,” support a scenario that contradicts the principles of the Security Council,” commented Polyansky.
“You are now discrediting the Security Council in the same way that the Ukrainians discredit the General Assembly with their provocative undertakings,” added the Russian representative.
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