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Changing Russia’s UN status impossible without dividing organization — diplomat

Dmitry Polyansky added that the United States recognizes that reforming the UN Security Council without the permission of its members and the absolute majority of all countries represented in the world organization is impossible, and that any attempt to do so will result in a split in the organization

UNITED NATIONS, September 19. /TASS/. Changing Russia's status in the UN Security Council is impossible without dividing the world organization, which the US is unwilling to do, Russia's First Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Dmitry Polyansky said in an interview with TASS.

"From time to time, the US tries to create the impression that it is very actively supporting the reform and we are supposedly against it, that it can supposedly take some steps to influence the status that we now have in the Council and in the UN as a whole," he said, stressing that "this is impossible without shaking the foundations of the organization, virtually leading to its collapse and division. Nobody, including the United States, is prepared to do that."

Polyansky added that the United States recognizes that reforming the UN Security Council without the permission of its members and the absolute majority of all countries represented in the world organization is impossible, and that any attempt to do so will result in a split in the organization.

"These are attempts to disguise wishful thinking. The US understands perfectly well, and admit it in serious interviews, that they have no leverage to carry out Security Council reform without the consent of the Security Council's members, primarily the permanent members, and, in general, the absolute majority of UN members," he said.

According to him, the United States' argument that it is doing anything at the UN to curb the dominance of Russia and China is meant for home consumption.

At the same time, he emphasized that it is completely incorrect to portray Russia as opposing Security Council reform. "On the contrary, we very actively support the reform, so that countries pursuing independent policies and having their own opinions are represented in the Security Council, and not members of the NATO bloc or the European Union, where everyone speaks the same and reads out the same positions," Polyansky added.

The diplomat added that Western countries currently control the Security Council, but this may change as it expands.