Is Russia’s placement on the Security Council legal?
The UN has never examined how the RSFSR or its successor, the Russian Federation, acquired membership in the organisation and on the council in the first place.
Russia's permanent seat on the UN Security Council has come under scrutiny due to its illegitimate accession. The UN Charter defines membership requirements, which Russia has not followed. On December 8, 1991, Ukraine and Belarus declared the Soviet Union ceased to exist, but Russia's membership was never formally established. The letter sent by Russia's president, Boris Yeltsin, to the UN secretary-general on December 24, 1991, claiming continuity of membership, lacks legal weight as no Russian state existed at that time.
This usurpation of the Soviet Union's permanent seat has allowed Russia to waging an aggressive war against Ukraine, violating the UN's foundational promise. The UN has precedents, such as China's 1971 resolution and Yugoslavia's 1992 case, to challenge Russia's status. However, these precedents are not applied to Russia for political reasons.
To uphold the UN's mission and punish crimes against humanity, Russia's membership should be revoked, which would require addressing the legal questions surrounding its illegitimate acquisition of the seat.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
Also reported by 4 other outlets
- Is Russia’s placement on the Security Council legal? freemalaysiatoday.com
- The Washington Post: U.S. and Europe are developing a new plan to end the Russia–Ukraine war, offering incentives and security arrangements in exchange for a ceasefire along the current front line meduza.io
- Europe’s €1.62 trillion budget plan faces pushback from key funders qatar-tribune.com
- New Washington Post podcast tackles personal finance for "real people" cbsnews.com
