United Nations, February 20. /TASS/. Andrea Lucidi, an Italian journalist who works in Donbass and holds Russian citizenship, is participating via video link in an informal Arria formula meeting of the UN Security Council organized by Russia on the topic of Western and Ukrainian media coverage of the conflict in Ukraine.
Lucidi was detained in Istanbul, where he arrived as part of an international group of journalists and lawyers. They collected information about prisons and met with local lawyers. Later the Italian journalist told TASS that he had been deported from Turkey to Italy.
Also scheduled to speak at the meeting is Norwegian political scientist Glenn Diesen, who was unable to attend the meeting in person because his flight was mysteriously cancelled.
"We are convinced that this chain of events is no coincidence. Nevertheless, we remain hopeful that, despite these obstacles, both speakers will still be able to join us, at least via video link, and share their views with you," said Anna Yevstigneyeva, Russia's Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
According to the TASS correspondent, both speakers have already joined the meeting via video link and will soon address the diplomats.
During the meeting, Russia plans to consider the role of Western and Ukrainian media in shaping a false perception of the Ukrainian crisis, as well as discuss how a more balanced and unbiased approach to covering the conflict in Ukraine can contribute to an objective understanding of its root causes and restore dialogue.
The Arria Formula meetings of the UN Security Council help the UN Security Council to discuss pressing issues not only among themselves, but also with the involvement of other countries and representatives of the public. This format was named after Venezuelan diplomat Diego Arria, who first organized such meetings at the UN in 1992, and involves all members of the Security Council.