Ukraine preparing for official steps to oust Russia from UN Security Council

ISTANBUL

Ukraine is preparing to take official steps to prove that Russia's presence on UN Security Council is "illegal" and have it removed from the body, Kyiv announced on Tuesday.

"Ukraine is now preparing for official steps that will prove Russia's illegal presence in the UN Security Council and launch a political process that should lead to its removal from this seat," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said in a video briefing on Facebook.

Kuleba claimed that Russia has been "poisoning" the UN and all other international organizations it is a part of "for many years," adding that Moscow holds permanent membership on the Security Council "without proper legal grounds for this and as a result of, frankly speaking, a fraudulent scheme, which took place 31 years ago."

"International law, not intrigues and machinations for the sake of Russia -- this is what Ukraine will stand on," Kuleba added.

He also noted that Kyiv stood ready against any critical decisions made during Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent visit to Minsk, where he met with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko.

"The meeting between Putin and Lukashenko is another dance performed by them ... Nothing dramatic, at least as far as we know, happened at this meeting ... Whatever happens, we are already trained ... We are ready for any scenario. No matter what they agree on among themselves, Ukraine is ready for this," he said.

On Wednesday, two US lawmakers introduced a resolution to oust Russia from the UN Security Council, saying Russia's presence there "violates the purposes and principles of the United Nations."

It also called for the suspension of Russia from other organizations and specialized agencies of the UN.

Putin conducted a one-day visit to Minsk with a delegation including Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu, among other officials, who held separate meetings with their Belarusian counterparts.