Lithuania, Romania Barred From UNSC Session On Ukraine At Russia's Behest - Source

Sumaira FH Published October 22, 2022 | 11:20 PM

Gabon, which currently holds presidency in the United Nations Security Council, has granted Russia's behest to bar representatives of Lithuania and Romania from taking part in a session on Ukraine due to an excessive number of EU delegates already on board, a source in the UN told Sputnik

UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd October, 2022) Gabon, which currently holds presidency in the United Nations Security Council, has granted Russia's behest to bar representatives of Lithuania and Romania from taking part in a session on Ukraine due to an excessive number of EU delegates already on board, a source in the UN told Sputnik.

"The President denied representatives of Lithuania and Romania participation in the meeting yesterday at Russia's insistence," the source said, adding that Russia's reasoning was that too many EU delegates were already taking part.

On Friday, the UN Security Council held yet another session on Ukraine, dedicated to the humanitarian situation. Ukraine, the European Union, Slovakia, Poland, Germany and Greece were taking part besides UN Security Council members.

Over the course of the session, Russian Ambassador to the UN Vassily Nebenzia shared his puzzlement over the large number of speakers, given that the meeting was a briefing, not a debate allowing an unlimited number of countries.

He noted that the Russian delegation was wondering "what added value" Slovakia, Poland, Germany and Greece would bring to the table other than extending the time of the meeting. Russia is "well aware" of the stances of these countries, which, as Nebenzia said, "could be summarized well enough by an EU representative."

The Russian envoy asked the Security Council president to exercise more discernment when compiling the lists of speakers at UN sessions on Ukraine.

The press service of the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry said that the country's Permanent Representative to the UN, Rytis Paulauskas, made a protest to Gabon for not giving Vilnius an opportunity to speak on behalf of the three Baltic states and the Czech Republic.