IRIA News

Members of the United Nations Security Council held a public meeting on January 31 to discuss Russian military buildup along the border with Ukraine at the request of the United States.

The UN Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo briefed the Security Council during a special open session that any military intervention by one country in another would be against international law and the Charter of the United Nations.

The Under-Secretary-General cited the “reported deployment of over 100,000 troops and heavy weaponry by the Russian Federation along the border areas, as well as unspecified numbers of Russian troops and weaponry being sent to Belarus for joint military drills.”

“The Secretary-General has made clear that there can be no alternative to diplomacy and dialogue,” said Rosemary DiCarlo.

“The international community must intensify its support for the efforts of the Normandy Four (France, Germany, Ukraine and the Russian Federation) and of the Trilateral Contact Group led by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) to ensure the implementation of the Minsk agreements, endorsed by the Security Council in its resolution 2202 (2015), DiCarlo added. 

The Under-Secretary-General also stressed that “The United Nations is fully committed to the sovereignty, political independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders.”

Several UNSC representatives argued that “the Russian military build-up along Ukraine’s borders constitutes a threat to international peace and security,” the UNSC press release added. 

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield also warned the council of the horrific consequences of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which would threaten global security.

“Colleagues, the situation we’re facing in Europe is urgent and dangerous, and the stakes for Ukraine and for every UN member state could not be higher… Russia’s actions strike at the very heart of the UN charter. This is as clear and consequential a threat to peace and security as anyone can imagine,” Thomas-Greenfield said.

According to the UN release, the delegation of the Russian Federation strongly opposed holding the meeting, saying that positioning troops within its territory is a domestic matter, not a threat to global stability.

Russian officials also firmly denied any intention of launching a war on neighboring states.

Russia’s UN envoy Vasily Nebenzya blamed the United States and its allies for whipping up panic despite Russia’s repeated denials of a planned invasion.

“The discussions about a threat of war is provocative in and of itself. You are almost calling for this. You want it to happen. You’re waiting for it to happen as if you want to make your words become a reality,” Nebenzya said during the council meeting.

“This is despite the fact that we are constantly rejecting these allegations, and this is despite the fact that no threat of a planned invasion into Ukraine from the lips of any Russian politician or public figure over all of this period has been made,” Nebenzya added.

France’s delegate stated that “the priority is to achieve a rapid de-escalation of the tense situation, as demonstrated in recent talks by the Normandy Four and in today’s Council meeting. If Moscow refuses to pursue the path of dialogue and respect for international law, the response will be robust and united, carrying severe costs.  However, the European Union stands ready to engage if Moscow chooses dialogue and cooperation.”

China’s representative to the UNSC urged for “quiet diplomacy, not microphone diplomacy” and stated that the U.S. claim that the situation “will lead to war is unfounded”, given Russia’s declaration that “it has no plans to launch military action”. The Chinese official also urged all parties to work together to resolve differences through dialogue.

Ukraine’s delegation to the UN also briefed the council by stating that Kyiev has no intentions of launching a “military offensive neither in Donbas nor in Crimea nor anywhere else”. According to the Ukrainian delegate, the government “sees no alternative to peaceful resolution of the ongoing conflict and restoration of its sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

“Ukraine has inherent sovereign right to choose its own security arrangements, including treaties of alliance, which cannot be questioned by the Russia Federation,” Ukraine’s delegate added.

After the UNSC session, U.S. President Joe Biden said in a statement, “If Russia is sincere about addressing our respective security concerns through dialogue, the United States and our Allies and partners will continue to engage in good faith.”

“If instead Russia chooses to walk away from diplomacy and attack Ukraine, Russia will bear the responsibility, and it will face swift and severe consequences,” he added.