Ambassadors to the United Nations from the US and Russia traded verbal blows Monday during the first public meeting of the UN Security Council since …
Ambassadors to the United Nations from the US and Russia traded verbal blows Monday during the first public meeting of the UN Security Council since the crisis in Ukraine came to a head. Russian envoy Vasily Nebenzya accused his American counterpart, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, of “whipping up hysterics” about a potential Russian invasion and using “megaphone diplomacy.” “You are almost pulling for this,” he said, looking at Thomas-Greenfield. “You want it to happen. You’re waiting for it to happen, as if you want to make your words become a reality.” Thomas-Greenfield responded by telling Nebenzya, “Imagine how uncomfortable you would be if you had 100,000 troops on your border.” Calling the massive Russian force along ots western border “a threat to peace and security,” Thomas-Greenfield told the 15-member council that it had been created precisely to address Moscow’s menacing behavior. “Our charge is not only to address conflicts after they occur, but also to prevent them from happening in the first place,” she said. “This is why today’s meeting is so crucial.” Nebenzya repeated Russian government denials that it has any intention of attacking Ukraine and blamed the US for escalating the crisis. “Our Western colleagues are talking the need for de-escalation. However, first and foremost, they themselves are whipping up tensions and rhetoric and are provoking escalation,” he said. “The discussions about a threat of war is provocative in and of itself.
