EVENT COVERAGE: Emotions Run High at Start of UN Human Rights Council Meeting, Over Invasion of Ukraine

Russia’s attack on Ukraine has remained a primary focus at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session in Geneva this month as delegates walked out on the Russian Foreign Minister in protest.

More than 100 UN members left the assembly hall as Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov spoke on the second day of the Council's session where he accused Ukraine of its goal to acquire nuclear weapons—which the country abandoned in exchange for security in 1994.

Ukraine urged fellow representatives to recognize Russia’s invasion as “not only on Ukraine but on every UN member state of the United Nations and on the principles that this organization was created to defend,” said Yevheniia Filipenko, Ukrainian Ambassador to the UN.

“It is the duty of the Human Rights Council to demonstrate its credibility and relevance and to take appropriate action to put an end to the gross and systematic violations of human rights, stemming from the Russian aggression,” said Filipenko.

Ignazio Cassis, President of Switzerland—broke from his country’s longstanding tradition for neutrality—spoke of Russia’s blatant violation of international humanitarian law and violation of the most fundamental principles of the UN Charter. Switzerland, like many other nations, voiced its readiness to welcome Ukrainian refugees and called upon all nations in the Council to protect and treat all civilians with humanity.

The UNHRC session opened on day one with an immediate petition from Ukraine for a vote for a special debate to discuss Russia’s invasion. The approval of the debate passed and was later held with UN members calling for the establishment of a special commission to investigate Russia’s war crimes and violations of human rights.

Antony Blinken, U.S. Secretary of State, denounced Russia for its grave human rights abuses and violations, citing its deliberate attacks on civilians, including schools, residential buildings and even ambulances. In response, he suggested Russia be removed from the United Nations.

"We must reject Russia’s attempts to falsely justify this attack as a defense of human rights – misappropriating terms that we reserve for the worst atrocities and disrespecting every victim of those crimes,” said Blinken.

“One can reasonably ask whether a UN member state that tries to take over another UN member state—while committing horrific human rights abuses and causing massive humanitarian suffering—should be allowed to remain on this Council,” said Blinken.

Ukraine has continued to call for the withdrawal of Russian troops and plead for support against the invasion, which has led to the displacement of over 6.5 million people within Ukraine and over 3.2 million refugees, according to the U.N. migration agency.

The Council session has just a couple of weeks left, but the invasion of Ukraine has continued to be a primary focus of discussions and messaging thus far with UN ambassadors around the world calling on Russia to end its aggression, citing Russian President Vladimir Putin as a war criminal.