Polarised Security Council debates meaning of multilateralism

Russian Foreign Minister and Council President for July, Sergey Lavrov accused the United States of exceptionalism and promoting a “rules-based order” that threatens multilateralism and international law.

Washington “demands unquestioning obedience” from its allies, he said, “even to the detriment of their national interests”.

“Rule America, that is the essence of the notorious rules-based order, which is a direct threat to multilateralism and international law,” he asserted.

‘Wilful’ violations of the Charter

In response, US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield chided Russian “hypocrisy” in convening a meeting on multilateral cooperation while “wilfully and flagrantly violating” the UN Charter’s core tenets of territorial integrity, respect for human rights and international cooperation.

She denounced Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, “a war that has weaponised food”, worsening hunger not only for Ukrainians but for millions worldwide, and "that has caused Moscow to result to nuclear brinksmanship and to violate international sanctions obligations”.

Barbara Woodward, Ambassador of the United Kingdom, reminded Council members of their responsibility to uphold their own commitments through implementing and abiding by the resolutions adopted.

“It is therefore vital that the Russian Government stops sourcing weapons from DPRK [the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea] in violation of UN Security Council resolutions and stops its attempts to disrupt UN efforts in Africa, including by stopping Russian proxies' targeted actions against MINUSCA [the UN mission in the Central African Republic],” she said.

Might isn’t right

Referring to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, she reiterated the UK’s stance that it will not accept a world “where might is right, and powerful countries can bully and invade other countries with impunity”.

Chinese Ambassador Fu Cong recalled the founding of the United Nations in the aftermath of the Second World War and the principles of peaceful coexistence advanced by his country’s leaders at the time.

Stirring up confrontation

He deplored the notion of a “rules-based international order” promoted by some countries, arguing that it seeks to create a parallel system outside international law, seeking “legitimacy for double standards and exceptions”.

He called on the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to stop being the “troublemaker” and expressed concern over the bloc’s seeking expansion, creating false narratives and “stirring up confrontation between camps”.