Ukraine allies denounce 'cynical' Russian meeting at UN
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00:00 Here's our New York correspondent Jessica LeMessurier with the details.
00:04 One diplomat described it as Russia trolling the United Nations.
00:08 The irony of Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, the minister of a country that's
00:14 invaded its neighbor, presiding over the UN Security Council, a body designed to prevent
00:19 wars.
00:20 Well, this irony was not lost on anyone this Monday.
00:22 Russia holds the rotating presidency of the council this month, and it appears to be trying
00:26 to use this opportunity to flip the narrative on the war in Ukraine.
00:30 UN Secretary General Antony Guterres sat next to Sergei Lavrov during this council meeting
00:35 on multilateralism and criticized Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
00:40 He warned that the risk of conflict between global powers was at an historic high.
00:47 Lavrov, in turn, said that the world was at a threshold that is possibly even more dangerous
00:53 than during the Cold War.
00:55 He tried to blame the West for what he called a loss of trust in multilateralism.
00:59 Now, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Lady Thomas-Greenfield, countered that, saying
01:04 that Russia's illegal war runs directly counter to the UN charter.
01:08 And she slammed Russia's unlawful detention of Americans, calling for the release of a
01:13 Wall Street Journal reporter and a former Marine detained in Russia.
01:17 When I asked Lavrov about Russia's detention of foreign reporters, he ignored my question
01:22 and instead just complimented the reporter next to me on the dress that she was wearing.
01:26 Well, Russia's -- Ukraine's top diplomat called Russia's Security Council presidency the worst
01:31 joke ever.
01:32 And whilst it may be farcical, the problem for the United Nations is that it needs Russia
01:38 to help keep that Black Sea grain deal in place.
01:41 The deal has proved to be essential for keeping the flow of food to the rest of the world
01:47 going.
01:48 Now, that was the main topic of conversation between Lavrov and Guterres when they met
01:51 one-on-one after the Security Council meeting, because Russia has threatened to pull out
01:56 of that deal.