Russia, Ukraine clash over tribute to UN ambassador

TIL Desk/World/United Nations-Russia and Ukraine clashed over a UN Security Council tribute to long-serving Russian ambassador Vitaly Churkin whose death has triggered an outpouring of grief at the world body. Council ambassadors yesterday observed a minute of silence in honor of Churkin and took turns addressing the chamber in the tribute to the 64-year-old diplomat who was Russia’s envoy at the United Nations for a decade.

Ukraine’s Ambassador Volodymyr Yelchenko, who holds this month’s council presidency, offered condolences before leading the council in a moment of silence, but his remarks were brief. The council issued a statement saying they were deeply saddened by Churkin’s passing but Ukraine blocked plans to release a formal presidential statement that carries more weight.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told a news conference in Moscow that Ukraine’s refusal to allow the statement was “un-Christian” and “goes beyond the limits of good and evil,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov took a swipe at the Ukrainians, saying “God will be their judge,” but added the spat over the statement was “not as important as the loss for Russia” of their star diplomat.