How Western media reacted to Sergey Lavrov’s speech at the UN
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In April, Russia chairs the UN Security Council. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke at the UN headquarters in New York for the first time since the start of the military operation in 2022. According to him, “the UN-centric system is in deep crisis” because of the United States and its allies, who are replacing the UN charter with their own rules, and the organization itself – clubs of interest.
The Russian minister proposed speeding up the reform of the Security Council by expanding the participation in it of the countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America. “The current outrageous over-representation of the West in this main body of the UN undermines the principle of multilateralism,” Lavrov said. Russia invited all UN member states, including non-members of the Security Council, to participate in the meeting and discuss this topic.
Vedomosti collected the media reaction to Lavrov’s speech.
“Lavrov’s call against Western domination resonates with African, Asian and Latin American countries that have long advocated reforming international institutions to give them a more prominent place at the negotiating table.
African countries called for action to expand their presence and power in the council and other international bodies. Brazil and Mexico called for further UN reform. The UAE noted that some Member States have always had a disproportionate influence on the multilateral system, including how those systems were set up and whether they functioned in the interests of all.
Of the non-Council members present, most, including Cuba and Iran, avoided the topic of Ukraine, but spoke at length about what they saw as US intimidation, illegal economic sanctions, and UN slowness in implementing promised reforms.
Karen DeYoung, Washington Post
“Attempts by the West to punish Russia for the conflict in Ukraine have met with only partial success. Many countries in Asia and Africa that are still paying the price for Western colonialism refrain from condemning. And often trapped between rival superpowers, they find great attraction in today’s Security Council theme: multilateralism.”
Farnaz Fassihi, New York Times
“Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has warned that the world is on a threshold ‘perhaps even more dangerous’ than during the Cold War.”
Michelle Nichols, Reuters
“Russia, which runs the UN Security Council, is doing as one would expect. The presidency of the Council is the ideal platform for Russia as it tries to convince many countries to either support its conflict with Ukraine or avoid any meaningful action to undermine Moscow.”
Nahal Tusi, Politico
“Russia is trying to pose as a defender of the UN charter and multilateralism. Nothing could be further from the truth. It’s cynical”
Ivana Kottasova, CNN
“Mr Lavrov did not speak to reporters before entering the Council Chamber for the meeting, the purpose of which was to present Russia’s views on multilateralism. In his speech at the meeting, he criticized Washington for refusing to issue visas to Russian journalists who sought to travel with him to New York.
William Mauldin, Wall Street Journal
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