The Security Council has rejected a Russian-drafted resolution calling for an investigation into its allegations of Washington’s involvement in alleged biological weapons development in Ukraine.
Russia had officially called for a UN investigation into the allegations, which it has done regularly since the start of its war in Ukraine.
The resolution that went to a vote on Wednesday received two votes in favor (Russia and China), three against (the United Kingdom, France and the US, which have veto power) and the 10 non-permanent members of the Council walked out. abstain
The text provided for “the creation of a commission composed of all members of the Security Council to investigate the allegations against the United States and Ukraine” regarding their obligations under the convention that prohibits the development, production and use of biological weapons.
Russia’s deputy ambassador, Dmitri Polyanskiy, lamented the outcome of the vote, saying: “Western countries showed anyway that the law does not apply to them.”
“This is a regular colonial mentality that we are used to and it doesn’t even surprise us,” he added, promising to return to the issue at the review conference of the Biological Weapons Convention, from November 28 to 16 Geneva December
US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield responded: “The US voted against this resolution because it is based on misinformation, dishonesty, bad faith and a total lack of respect” for the Security Council.
That resolution is “a milestone for Russia’s deception and lies” and “no one is buying it except China,” he said.
The US and Ukraine had already strongly rejected Russia’s accusations last week, with the Americans calling them “pure fabrications”.