LAST UPDATE | 31 Jan 2022
THE UNITED STATES and Russia have squared off at the UN Security Council, where Moscow lost an attempt to block a public meeting on its troop build-up near Ukraine’s borders and Western fears of an invasion.
US ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield dismissed a charge by Russian ambassador Vassily Nebenzia that Washington was trying “to whip up hysterics” and use “megaphone diplomacy” by calling the first Security Council meeting on the crisis.
“Imagine how uncomfortable you would be if you had 100,000 troops on your border,” Thomas-Greenfield said.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said today that “hysteria promoted by Washington triggers hysteria in Ukraine, where people are almost starting to pack their bags for the front line”.
The vote on holding an open meeting passed 10-2, with Russia and China opposed, and three abstentions. Nine votes were needed for the block to be approved.
Fears of an imminent incursion have grown in recent days, despite denials from Moscow and pleas from Ukraine’s president to avoid stirring “panic” over the massive Russian military build-up on the border.
The United States and Britain yesterday flagged new and “devastating” economic sanctions against Russia, as Washington and its allies step up efforts to deter any invasion of Ukraine.
With tensions soaring, the United States said it was prepared to push back against any “disinformation” Moscow put forward in what is expected to be one of the most closely watched United Nations sessions in years.
What happened at the meeting
UN undersecretary-general for political affairs Rosemary DiCarlo then went ahead with an open briefing, to be followed by speeches from the 15 Council members.
US President Joe Biden said in a statement that the meeting was “a critical step in rallying the world to speak out in one voice” to reject the use of force, seek military de-escalation, support diplomacy and demand accountability from every member “to refrain from military aggression against its neighbours”.
The session kicked off more high-level diplomacy this week, although talks between the US and Russia have so far failed to ease tensions in the crisis.
Russia denies it intends to launch an attack, but demanded that Nato promise never to allow Ukraine to join the alliance, halt the deployment of Nato weapons near Russian borders, and roll back its forces from eastern Europe.
Nato and the US call those demands impossible.
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov and US secretary of state Antony Blinken did not make any visible progress in easing the tensions at their meeting in Geneva earlier this month.
They are expected to speak by phone tomorrow, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Biden warned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a phone call on Thursday that there is a “distinct possibility” Russia could begin an incursion in February, but the Ukrainian leader sought to play down the war fears, saying Western alarm over an imminent invasion has prompted many investors in the country’s financial markets to cash out.
Zelenskyy said that “we aren’t seeing any escalation bigger than before”, and claimed that the Russian build-up could be an attempt by Moscow to exert “psychological pressure” and sow panic.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will visit Ukraine tomorrow for talks with Zelenskyy to urge him to “step back”, Johnson’s office said.
Johnson was due to speak to Russian President Vladimir Putin today, but it was cancelled after the fallout from the Sue Gray update revealed today.
Johnson said he is considering sending hundreds of British troops to Nato countries in the Baltic region as a show of strength.
At today’s #UNSC meeting, Amb. Byrne Nason called for:
— Ireland at UN (@irishmissionun) January 31, 2022
1⃣de-escalation;
2⃣diplomacy; and
3⃣dialogue.
There should be determined & constructive engagement with all diplomatic efforts, including the Normandy Format & the @OSCE. pic.twitter.com/upm0yAQAx6
Any formal action by the Security Council over troops at Ukraine’s border is extremely unlikely, given Russia’s veto power and its ties with others on the Council, including China.
Speaking on Sunday on ABC’s This Week, Thomas-Greenfield said of Russia: “We’re going into the room prepared to listen to them, but we’re not going to be distracted by their propaganda.”
She said last week that council members “must squarely examine the facts and consider what is at stake for Ukraine, for Russia, for Europe, and for the core obligations and principles of the international order should Russia further invade Ukraine”.
On Friday, China’s UN ambassador Zhang Jun said both sides have shown willingness to continue negotiations and should be allowed to continue.
“Russia has said clearly they have no intention to have a war” and the Security Council should “help to de-escalate the situation instead of adding fuel to the fire”, Zhang said.
Contains reporting from © AFP 2022
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