UNITED NATIONS AP — As if there weren't enough tension after days of speeches by world leaders taking subtle and not-simple shots at Russia for its invasion of Ukraine during the annual UN General Assembly, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke to the Security Council on Thursday.
He arrived a few minutes before he had to speak, missing U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's earlier remarks blasting Moscow for what the American described as war crimes and other atrocities.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, of Sergey Lavrov's comments that President Volodymyr Zelensky is only supported by the U.S., and then it was Lavrov's turn to sound off, repeating his country's frequent claims that Kyiv has long oppressed Russian speakers and that Western support for Ukraine is a threat to Moscow. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba looked on all the while. The world watched a rare moment: the top diplomats of two nations at war in the same room. Ukraine regions largely under control of Moscow-aligned separatists vote in referendums on joining Russia. World opinion shifts against Russia as Ukraine war worries grow. They did not speak with each other, instead lobbing barbs at or past each other. Kuleba said before the meeting that he would maintain his social distance. Lavrov said that the U.S. policy toward Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky was based on the rationale that he is a son of a bitch, but he is our son of a bitch. Afterward, Kuleba chided Russia for the inappropriate slang. The moment was over as quickly as it began. As soon as Lavrov finished speaking, he was gone in a flash. Key words: Meet the Ukrainian executive who invited his country s military to shell his own Russian-occupied home.