Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov Arrives in New York to Lead UN Security Council Sessions

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov arrived in New York on July 16 to lead sessions of the UN Security Council during Russia's current presidency of the body.

Russia, as a permanent member of the 15-seat council, began its one-month rotational presidency on July 1, the first time since April 2023. Earlier this month, Russia's UN representative, Vasiliy Nebenzya, noted Lavrov's visit hinged on resolving “visa matters”.

Later on July 16, Lavrov is slated to inaugurate a Security Council meeting named "Meeting on Just World Order." Among the issues Lavrov intends to address is the request for "the list of people whose bodies were shown by BBC reporters in Bucha," referencing the Russian 2022 massacre of civilians in the Kyiv region town.

Despite the UN confirming numerous instances of civilian executions during the Russian occupation of Bucha, Moscow has attempted to evade responsibility for the massacre.

Earlier in June, Vasiliy Nebenzya, Russia's ambassador to the UN, stated during a press briefing in New York that Ukraine will not be on the agenda.

Russian presidency is aligned with Russia's major missile strike on Ukraine, targeting Ohmatdyt, Kyiv's largest children's medical center, on July 8, that killed 31 people and injured over a hundred throughout the country. The same day Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine is initiating an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council due to the Russian strike on civilian infrastructure, including the children's hospital.