Russia’s participation in UN bodies can be suspended – diplomat Ohryzko

Volodymyr Ohryzko, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine from 2007 to 2009, shared his opinions on Espreso TV’s Verdict with Serhiy Rudenko programme.

"We need to look for ways to make it impossible for Russia to participate in the work of all UN bodies. There is a mechanism to deprive Russia of this right. The UN bodies have a committee to verify the credentials of delegations. Its function is to verify the credentials of delegations participating in such work on the eve of each session of the General Assembly," explained Ohryzko.

The diplomat added that there were cases in UN history when the South African apartheid regime was not expelled from the organization, but suspended from the organization's activities.

"The Credentials Committee consists of several members – seven or eight countries, including several permanent members of the UN Security Council, but without the right to veto the decisions of this committee. In the history of the UN, there were cases when the South African apartheid regime was not expelled from the organization, but suspended from the activities of this organization due to the decision of this committee. It simply did not recognize the powers of the delegation and did not allow it to participate in the work of all bodies, including the UN Security Council. Such a step against Russia would be most effective," emphasized Ohryzko.

• Russia's presidency of the UN Security Council began on April 1, 2023, and will last until the end of the month.

• Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that Russia's presidency of the UN Security Council was a bad joke. The White House said that Russia has no place in the UN Security Council, but that there is no legal way to deprive the aggressor country of permanent membership.

• Subsequently, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan emphasized the need for a comprehensive reform of the UN Security Council.

• Russia complained that the US had not issued visas to the Russian delegation and had not authorized a special plane for Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.