Ukraine to ask Russia's exclusion of Security Council

On Sunday, Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the official Kiev would require Russia to lift its status as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, where it has a seat with the US, Great Britain, France and China.

Tomorrow we will officially express our position. We have a very simple question: Does Russia have the right to remain a permanent member of the Security Council and simply be in the United Nations?

We have a convincing and reasonable answer.

The five permanent members of the powerful Security Council, with 15 seats, have the right to veto that they can use to block any resolution.

<x0)

On Sunday, the Russian president, Putin, said his offensive in Ukraine aims to reunite the Russian people “, while accusing “geopolitical opponents” of aiming to destroy “historic Russia”.

Putin has used the concept of the historic “Russia” to argue that Ukrainians and Russians are a people, thus rejecting Kiev's sovereignty and reasoning the offensive in Ukraine.

“Disillusion and defeat, this they have always sought to achieve and continue to target”, Putin said in a television interview.

But our goal is to unite the Russian people”.

He reiterated that Moscow is ready for negotiations and appeared calm when asked about the new air defence system with which the US will supply Ukraine.

“Of course we will destroy it, 100 percent!”, Putin said, referring to the Patriot air defence system promised to Ukrainian President Voldymyr Zelensky.

Last week, Zelensky received pledges of support from Washington during his first visit outside Ukraine since the start of the war in February.

Financial and military aid from the West has been key to Ukrainian victories against the Russian Army, including in the only regional capital controlled by Russia.

Even though Russia is backed by Harrison, the city remains within Russian weapons range and is in constant danger.

Challenging Christmas

On Sunday, church bells were heard all over Kiev as Orthodox Christians took part in Christmas services at a distance from Russian spiritual leaders, who will mark the holiday two weeks later.

In a service in downtown Kiev, believer Olga Stanko told the AFP news agency that she supports any movement that distances Ukraine from Russia.

“The war has brought us so much grief,” she said. “We cannot do this with Russia, remain under its influence. ”

The decision of several Ukrainian churches to celebrate Christmas on December 25th highlights the deep divisions between religious leaders in Kiev and Moscow.

Ukraine had been under Moscow's religious leadership at least since the 17th century, but part of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church broke out of Moscow in 2019 due to Russia's annexation of the Crime and Russian support for separatists in eastern Ukraine.

In May, Russia's branch of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church severed ties with Moscow. / REL/