Speaking for the first time in person at the UN Security Council, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky today denounced Russia’s “criminal aggression” in Ukraine and asked the highest UN body to remove Russia’s veto power.

“Most countries in the world recognize the truth about this war,” Zelensky emphasized, with Russia’s UN ambassador Vasily Nebenzia sitting in front of him.

The Ukrainian president personally participates in the SA meeting. It is his first presentation at this UN body since the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

“This is a criminal and unjustified attack by Russia against our country, an attack aimed at seizing Ukraine’s territory and resources.”

Zelensky called on the UN to remove Russia’s right to veto the Security Council, calling for more reforms at the United Nations. “The right of veto in the hands of the aggressor blocks the UN,” the Ukrainian president said.

“It is impossible to stop this war because all efforts are vetoed by the aggressor or those who support the aggressor,” added Zelensky.

Opening the Security Council meeting on Ukraine, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stressed that Russia’s war in Ukraine “exacerbates geopolitical tensions and divisions, threatens regional stability, increases the nuclear threat and creates deep fissures throughout and our more multipolar world”.

In a sign of the tense atmosphere, Vassily Nebenzia protested at the start of the meeting that the Ukrainian president was allowed to speak before the 15-member SA, complaining that the meeting was “turning into a one-man show”, with the Russian ambassador speaking of ” spectacle”.

In response, Edi Rama, prime minister of Albania, which holds the rotating SA presidency in September, told Nebenzia: “Stop the war and President Zelenski will not speak.”

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is also scheduled to address the SA, but did not attend Zelensky’s speech in person.

The US and France are represented at the level of foreign ministers, with Anthony Blinken and Catherine Colonna.

The Security Council has met numerous times on Ukraine over the past 19 months since the start of the Russian invasion, but has been unable to decide on action as Russia has veto power.