The head of the European Council supported the suspension of Russia’s membership in the UN Security Council

The head of the European Council, Charles Michel, in an interview with the RTVI television channel, stated the need to develop a mechanism for suspending Russia’s membership in the UN Security Council.

“From my point of view, a suspension mechanism should be established: I’m not talking about the complete exclusion of Russia, but at least the suspension of Russia’s membership in the Security Council,” he said.

At the same time, the head of the European Council added, it is currently impossible to do this, since the decision to suspend Russia’s membership will lead “the very concept of UN security to a dead end.”

According to Michel, there is a flaw in international law, since it is allegedly violated by Russia, a permanent member of the UN Security Council. The head of the European Council noted that even before the start of hostilities in Ukraine, the concept of UN security was “strongly junk” and experienced difficulties in solving international problems. Michel added that sooner or later the UN system would have to be reformed.

In October, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also spoke about the overdue reform of the UN Security Council. At the same time, he emphasizedthat exclusion of Russia from the organization is impossible.

After the start of Russia’s special operation in Ukraine, representatives of Western countries have repeatedly proposed to exclude Russia from the UN Security Council. The Russian Federation is a permanent member of the UN Security Council. To exclude it from the organization, it is necessary to adopt an amendment to the UN Charter, which must be approved by all permanent members. At the same time, Russia may veto such an initiative.

So, at the end of February, the Russian Federation already vetoed a draft UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate halt to the operation to demilitarize Ukraine. After holding referendums on the issue of joining four new regions to Russia, the United States and Albania prepared a draft resolution on the non-recognition of these referendums. Russia again imposed veto the document.