: Russia supports expanding permanent membership of the UN Security Council but wants veto powers retained, opposing Turkey’s call to abolish both arrangements.
Moscow
Russia believes the United Nations Security Council should expand its number of permanent members beyond the current five, while retaining the veto power held by those members, the Kremlin said on Tuesday.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov made the comments in response to questions from reporters about Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan’s call for the abolition of both permanent membership and the veto system.
Russia has supported reforms to the Security Council but has maintained that the institution of permanent members and their veto rights are important parts of the UN structure.
“At the same time, we believe that the institution of permanent members of the Security Council, as well as the right of veto, are very important elements of the entire structure of the United Nations,” Peskov said.
The Security Council currently has 15 members, including five permanent members — Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States — that possess veto power. The remaining 10 members are elected for two-year terms.
Erdogan has repeatedly criticised the current structure, arguing that the five permanent members do not adequately represent the international community and that the veto can prevent the council from taking swift decisions.
His latest call seeks a fundamental restructuring by removing both permanent membership and veto powers.
Russia’s position instead favours adding more permanent members while preserving the existing veto arrangement.
The debate comes as world leaders gather in New York for the UN General Assembly, where reform of the international organisation remains among broader discussions about its role in addressing global crises.