At the UN Security Council, during the summit on Ukraine, the clash between Volodymyr Zelensky and Sergei Lavrov took place. Not exactly a face-to-face meeting, given that the Ukrainian president left the room before he spoke.
“Russia's presence here is illegitimate, the veto power in Moscow should be suspended following the atrocities committed,” said Zelensky, underlining that the veto power in the hands of the aggressor “is what pushed the UN into this stalemate."
In his speech the Ukrainian president added that "it is impossible to stop the war" precisely "because all actions have the aggressor's veto" . His request, in addition to removing Moscow's veto power, is to also remove it from the council.
Zelensky then relaunched his 10-point peace formula, reiterating Russia's withdrawal and the restoration of borders before the 2014 invasion of Crimea as indispensable conditions. “May peace prevail, may our institutions and cooperation become stronger,” he added, calling on other nations to support the plan.
Lavrov instead attacked primarily the USA and its allies, "who have interfered in Ukrainian affairs since the fall of the USSR to induce pro-Western policies in Kiev", and precisely "because of the West - he added - the risk of global conflict" .
«The Ukrainian government – added the Russian Foreign Minister – is a puppet of the USA, the United States could order Zelensky to negotiate with us ».
Then he defended Moscow's right of veto, a "legitimate" instrument .
«Russia – he concluded – does not reject negotiations, it is Zelensky who signed a decree to prohibit dialogue with President Putin. And NATO itself refused to engage in dialogue that could have prevented tensions in Europe."
(Unioneonline/L)