The UN Security Council, at the request of mainly its Western Member States, convened an urgent public meeting recognition of the independence of the regions of Ukraine controlled by pro-Russian separatists from Russia, diplomats said.
The request, based on a letter from Ukraine to the Organization, was submitted by the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Norway and Albania, and was also endorsed by Mexico, according to the same diplomatic sources.
Russia, which holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council in February and therefore sets the agenda, wanted the meeting to be held behind closed doors, but was opposed by the United States, according to diplomats.
The meeting will begin at 21:00 (New York time; 04:00 Greek time).
In a letter to his Russian counterpart Vassily Nebenzia, Ukraine’s ambassador to the UN, Sergei Kislytsia, requested that a representative of the Ukrainian government be present at the emergency meeting, based on the Organization’s charter and rules of procedure.
The Ukrainian diplomat, a copy of whose letter came into the possession of the French Agency, also requested that the Secretary-General of the United NationsAntonio Guterres, and Representative of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).
It is not certain that the head of the UN, who decided to return from Portugal in a hurry due to the escalation of the crisis in Ukraine, will be able to take part in the meeting that begins shortly.
Stressing that she was calling for an emergency meeting, US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said she expected the US to “demand that Russia respect the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine”.
“Russia’s announcement of recognition” is nothing more than a theatrical act aimed at creating a pretext for a new invasion of Ukraine, “he added.
The most recent Security Council meeting dedicated to Ukraine took place on 17 February; it was organized by Russia. It was an annual discussion on Donbass, home to the two self-proclaimed Democratic Republics of Danieck and Luhansk.
The previous one took place on January 31, at the request of the United States, and turned into a very sharp verbal conflict between Washington and Moscow.
It is not clear whether a draft decision has been drawn up for a vote at the meeting.
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