Nebenzia also spoke about Russia’s stance on the recent statements from Washington regarding the possible resumption of nuclear tests and explained why a ceasefire in Ukraine cannot eliminate the root causes of the conflict. He also provided his assessment of U.S. President Donald Trump’s foreign policy.
Nebenzia stated that October was extremely busy with activities, coinciding with the Security Council’s visit to Addis Ababa to meet with the African Union’s Peace and Security Council, in addition to a large number of files on the agenda. He added that Russia organized one of the council’s most prominent meetings during its presidency, titled “The United Nations at Eighty: A Look to the Future,” and five resolutions were adopted during that time, four of them on the last day of the Russian presidency.
Regarding the absence of any meetings on Ukraine during the Russian presidency, Nebenzia explained that no one requested them, noting that his country handles these matters transparently. He added, “If one of our Western partners had requested a session on this matter, we would have held it without hesitation, as we also have something to say.”
Concerning the possibility of the United Nations playing a role in the Ukrainian settlement, Nebenzia clearly stated: the answer is no. He reiterated that the UN Secretary-General and several UN officials have overstepped the principle of neutrality stipulated in Article 100 of the Charter, taking clearly biased positions. He concluded by saying that the UN itself does not seem willing to play any role, as it realizes that its position in this file is unavailable.
Nebenzia pointed out that the international community’s focus is currently on Gaza, saying: “Everyone is following what is happening there, as the humanitarian tragedy witnessed in the strip over the past two years was severe. We thank God that the truce was finally achieved, although it is extremely fragile.”
In response to President Donald Trump’s remarks about the potential resumption of nuclear tests for the first time in 30 years, Nebenzia clarified that the two issues — nuclear tests and Ukraine — should be distinguished. He said, “Trump made his statement in response to Russia’s testing of new weapons, including cruise missiles and submarines equipped with nuclear engines. This statement has raised widespread concern within the United States and the world, as it may cause a new escalation and an unprecedented arms race since the 1990s.”
Regarding the Ukrainian crisis, Nebenzia said President Trump spoke of his desire to resolve the conflict, but like many Western politicians, he does not understand the deep roots of the crisis. He explained that President Putin clarified this to him during the “Anchorage” meeting. He added, “The ceasefire that President Zelensky and European countries are calling for is not a real solution, but a reflection of their difficult situations on the ground, the lack of human resources, and their pursuit to catch their breath and rearm the Ukrainian army.”
He concluded by saying, “Freezing the conflict or a ceasefire along the front lines will not solve the causes that originally ignited this conflict.”
