US and Russia trade barbs at UN Security meeting
Russian Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin speaks prior to a vote on a resolution on Ukraine during a UN Security Council emergency meeting at United Nations headquarters in New York on March 15, 2014. Russia and US traded insults during a UN security Council meeting on Thursday. AFP/PHOTO
What you need to know:
- Russia’s Ambassador to the UN, Vitaly Churkin defended the actions by his country to annex Crimea. He referred to the annexation as a re-unification that has righted historical injustice.
- US Ambassador Samantha Power reiterated her country’s position that it was wrong for Russia to ‘grab’ Crimea and terming Russia’s actions as theft.
- The Russian ambassador interjected in an obvious jab at the west that it had taken note of the countries that disproved of its actions terming them as imperialist and colonial.
US and Russia traded insults during a UN security Council meeting on Thursday.
Russia’s Ambassador to the UN, Vitaly Churkin defended the actions by his country to annex Crimea. He referred to the annexation as a re-unification that has righted historical injustice.
"Yesterday, something truly historic event happened. The re-unification of Russia-Crimea took place." Churkin declared.
He hailed Putin’s actions as much awaited by the Russian people for more than six decades.
THIEVES AND IMPERIALISTS
US Ambassador Samantha Power reiterated her country’s position that it was wrong for Russia to ‘grab’ Crimea and terming Russia’s actions as theft.
"A thief can steal property, but that does not confer the right of ownership on the thief," she said.
The Russian ambassador interjected in an obvious jab at the west that it had taken note of the countries that disproved of its actions terming them as imperialist and colonial.
“We have taken note of the reaction of some countries in the west who have not rid themselves of their imperial, colonialist habits of imposing their will upon other countries.”
He warned that these actions were unacceptable especially if those nations expected Russia’s support in the Security Council.
“If the US expects our cooperation in other issues on the Security Council, then the ambassador needs to understand this.”
Russia’s actions to annex part of another country have been met with criticism and are seen as a breach of international law. However, Russia’s president Vladimir Putin has been hailed as a hero at home and his actions seen as patriotic.
