Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky tells UN: strip ‘criminal’ Russia of veto power
- For the first time since the start of Moscow’s invasion, the president sat in the same room as a Russian official, who responded by scrolling on his smartphone
- ‘Veto power in the hands of the aggressor’ is what makes it impossible to stop the war, Zelensky said
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday confronted Russia directly at the UN Security Council, denouncing the Kremlin’s invasion of his country as “criminal” and urging that Moscow be stripped of its UN veto power.
Clad in his trademark military fatigues, Zelensky for the first time since the February 2022 invasion sat in the same room as a Russian official, who responded by scrolling through his smartphone with a look of conspicuous disinterest.
“Most of the world recognises the truth about this war,” Zelensky said. “It is a criminal and unprovoked aggression by Russia against our nation aimed at seizing Ukraine’s territory and resources.”
Zelensky called on the United Nations to strip Russia of its Security Council veto power, describing it as a vital reform that would simultaneously promote greater representation at the UN for the developing world – where support for Ukraine has been lukewarm.
“Veto power in the hands of the aggressor is what has pushed the UN into a deadlock,” Zelensky said.
