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Russia currently holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council and its UN envoy Vasily Nebenzya said earlier this month he would take a tough stance against Ukraine and its Western allies.
As a permanent member of the UN’s top security body, Moscow has veto power and has used it repeatedly to block efforts to condemn its war in Ukraine.
Initially, it looked like Russia would try to block Ukraine from attending Tuesday’s meeting after Nebenzya said Kyiv had not properly formatted its letter requesting participation.
Nebenzia said Ukraine “can participate only if the United States asks it to do so… We regret that Ukraine cannot act independently… (and) must be led by its sponsors.”
Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said Monday that Russia’s deadly attack on Ukraine was “particularly alarming.”
“Attacks on civilians and civilian objects are prohibited under international humanitarian law and any such attacks are unacceptable. They must cease immediately,” Dujarric said.
UN human rights chief Volker Türk echoed Guterres’ sentiments, calling the attacks “heinous” and saying they “severely damaged the intensive care, surgical and oncology wards of Ohmatdit, Ukraine’s largest children’s referral hospital.”
Zelenskiy has been urging allies to bolster Ukraine’s air defences and is expected to repeat that call at a NATO summit in Washington later on Tuesday.
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