Over 100 Diplomats Walk Out As Russian Minister Begins To Talk About Human Rights At UN
More than 100 diplomats from some 40 Western countries and allies including Japan walked out of a speech by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to the top U.N. human rights forum on Tuesday in protest over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Some walked out, some stayed
The boycott by envoys from the European Union, the United States, Britain and others left only a few diplomats in the room including Russia's ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva, Gennady Gatilov, who is a former deputy to Lavrov. Envoys from Syria, China and Venezuela were among delegations that stayed.
Among the other diplomats who walked out, Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly and Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod joined Ukraine's ambassador Yevheniia Filipenko behind a large Ukrainian blue and yellow flag.
A video posted by the French delegation showed dozens of officials leaving the chamber while Lavrov started his address via video link.
¡°Walk out from the EU and its partners during the statement from Minister Lavrov at the Conference on Disarmament this morning to show our support to Ukraine,¡± the tweet said.
Neutral Switzerland also imposed financial sanctions on Lavrov on Monday, a measure of the international revulsion over an invasion Russia describes as a "special military operation" aimed at dislodging "neo-Nazis" ruling Ukraine.
Lavrov's speech at UN
During his speech to the UN Human Rights Council, Lavrov said he did not attend in person because of what he called "outrageous" measures by European Union in applying sanctions on Russia following its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
In his speech, Lavrov accused the EU of engaging in a "Russophobic frenzy" by supplying lethal weapons to Ukraine during Moscow's military campaign that began last Thursday.
Ukraine's ambassador hails "show of strength"
"It is a remarkable show of support for Ukrainians who are fighting for their independence," Filipenko told reporters.Filipenko said there had been "massive destruction to civilian infrastructure" in Kharkiv, adding: "The maternity wards are being attacked, civilian residential buildings are being bombed."
The U.S. envoy to the Human Rights Council, Michele Taylor, said in a statement: "This Russian war of aggression will have profound implications for human rights in Ukraine and Russia, and the leaders of Russia will be held accountable."
Current situation in Ukraine?
A Russian armoured column bore down on Ukraine's capital Kyiv on Tuesday and invasion forces fired rocket barrages into the centre of Kharkiv, the country's second largest city, on the sixth day of Russia's assault on its neighbour.?
For more on news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
