The Power Within: The Kyiv Independent’s first-ever magazine. Be among the first to get it.

pre-order now
Skip to content
Edit post

Lavrov lashes out at West in UN Security Council speech in New York

by The Kyiv Independent news desk April 24, 2023 7:49 PM 3 min read
Russian Foreign Minister and Security Council Acting President for the month of April Sergey Lavrov speaks during a Security Council meeting at the United Nations headquarters on April 24, 2023 in New York City. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)
This audio is created with AI assistance

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov addressed the UN Security Council in New York on April 24 during the Russian Federation's controversial presidency of the body.

During his address, Lavrov fiercely criticized Western countries in particular the U.S., which he said is "aiming for the destruction of globalization" and wants to "undermine multilateralism" in the Asia-Pacific.

Russia was chosen to head the UN Security Council, the presidency of which rotates on a monthly basis between 15 member states, for the month of April.

Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba in late March called the move a "bad joke" and said that the world "can't be a safe place" with Russia as head of the UN Security Council.

Russia has repeatedly abused its position at the United Nations while attempting to justify its genocidal war in Ukraine.

Lavrov told the UN General Assembly that Russia had “no choice” but to invade Ukraine, UN News reported in September 2022.

"I am convinced that any sovereign, self-respecting State would do the same in our stead, which understands its responsibility to its own people," Lavrov claimed, denying Ukrainian sovereignty.

During his April 24 address to the UN Security Council, Lavrov also called President Volodymyr Zelensky's government "the Nazi regime in Kyiv" and the Euromaidan Revolution a "coup," adding that they do not have the authority to rule over the inhabitants of Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts who allegedly "rejected" the democratic movement.

Despite Russia's repeated claims that they are "protecting" the people of eastern Ukraine, a survey conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology in late February showed that 90% of Ukrainians believe it is necessary to begin launching strikes on Russian territory, with the largest support coming from eastern Ukraine, which has suffered the brunt of Russian attacks since the start of the full-scale invasion.

Russian soldiers and mercenaries have also confessed to and have been documented committing war crimes throughout Ukraine, including the rape, torture, and murder of both civilians and Ukrainian soldiers.

According to Lavrov, the war in Ukraine is "impossible" to view outside of the U.S. geopolitical context. However, it was Russia's invasion of Ukraine that sparked a global food crisis that is exacerbated every time the Black Sea Grain Initiative is up for renewal.

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Russian officials have also been condemned by intergovernmental organizations such as the International Criminal Court (ICC) for documented war crimes committed on Ukrainian territory, including the kidnappings of tens of thousands of Ukrainian children.

Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, threatened the ICC with a missile strike on March 20 after it issued arrested warrants for Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and Maria Lvova-Belova, the Russian official overseeing the forced deportations of Ukrainian children to Russia.

Ukraine war latest: Ukraine may have gained new positions in Kherson Oblast; Russia ramps up army recruitment campaign
Key developments on April 23: * Military asks for ‘patience’ on reports of possible Ukrainian advance in Kherson Oblast * UK Defense Ministry: Russia ramps up army recruitment campaign by appealing to ‘masculine pride’ * Military says Russia could try to storm Vuhledar in Donetsk Oblast * Gener…

News Feed

5:30 AM

Trump says he may meet Putin 'shortly' after May Middle East visit.

Despite ongoing ceasefire negotiations, Trump and Putin have yet to have direct contact, communicating only through their officials. Trump's last in-person encounter with his Russian counterpart was during the 2018 Helsinki Summit during the U.S. president's first term.
8:08 PM

Ukrainians react to US proposal of recognizing Crimea as Russian.

The U.S. media outlet Axios reported on April 23 that the U.S. President Donald Trump administration's final proposal for ending the Russia-Ukraine war included the U.S. de jure recognizing Russia's annexation of Crimea and de facto recognizing its control of other occupied Ukrainian territories. We asked Kyiv residents for their reactions to the U.S. proposal.
7:21 PM  (Updated: )

Trump says 'nobody is asking' Ukraine to recognize Crimea as Russian.

"Nobody is asking (President Volodymyr) Zelensky to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory, but if he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?" U.S. President Donald Trump wrote.
MORE NEWS

Editors' Picks

Enter your email to subscribe
Please, enter correct email address
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required

Subscribe

* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Subscribe
* indicates required
Explaining Ukraine with Kate Tsurkan
* indicates required
Successfuly subscribed
Thank you for signing up for this newsletter. We’ve sent you a confirmation email.