Russia Blocks US-Drafted UN Security Council Agenda Over Ukraine Meeting

The United States took over the UN Security Council presidency on December 1.

Photo: CNN

Russia has vetoed the US-drafted agenda for the UN Security Council for December after Washington refused to remove a meeting on Ukraine from the schedule, according to Dmitry Polyansky, Russia's First Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

"As expected, the Americans opted to stand on principle and, like the British, ended up without an approved program for the UN Security Council’s work this month as they refused to remove a meeting on Ukraine from the agenda. I can’t say why this happened - it could be American obstinacy or Anglo-Saxon solidarity. But the result is the same. We have been clear and transparent concerning our position from the very beginning," he said, The Caspian Post reports, citing Russian media.

Polyansky noted earlier that the US agenda could be blocked.

The United States took over the UN Security Council presidency on December 1. In early November, Russia blocked the UK-drafted program because it included a meeting on Ukraine. According to Polyansky, a program should envisage meetings in line with the Security Council’s reporting cycle and Ukraine was not among such issues.

The rotating month-long presidency of the UN Security Council goes over to member countries in alphabetical order by their names in English. The UNSC presidency coordinates the Council’s activities and outlines its agenda, as well as organizes meetings, drafts reports and ensures procedural compliance.