WATCH: Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov Calls For Reform At UNSC, Pushes For India’s Permanent Seat

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Saturday reiterated Moscow’s strong support for India’s long-standing demand for a permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council. Speaking at the UN General Assembly in New York, Lavrov stressed the need to reform the Security Council to reflect the realities of the modern world.

Lavrov said, “The issue of Security Council reform is particularly important. Russia calls for its democratisation exclusively through the expansion of representation of Asia, Africa and Latin America. We support the applications of Brazil and India for permanent seats on the Council, while at the same time correcting the historical injustice towards Africa within the parameters agreed by the countries of the continent themselves.”

He highlighted that the global balance of power has shifted significantly since the UN was founded in 1945 and added that these changes are not yet reflected in the organisation’s structure. “The global majority is loudly asserting its rights. The SCO and BRICS play a special role as mechanisms for coordinating the interests of the Global South and East,” Lavrov said, emphasising that nations in Asia, Africa, and Latin America are demanding fairer representation.

On the ongoing Ukraine war, Lavrov said Russia considers itself under threat but remains open to negotiations to resolve the conflict. “As President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly emphasised, Russia has been and remains open to negotiations on eliminating the root causes of the conflict,” he said.

Lavrov accused Western nations of ignoring Russia’s security concerns and continuing NATO’s expansion. He clarified that Russia has no plans to attack European or NATO countries but warned that any aggression against Russia would be met with a decisive response. “There should be no doubt about this among those in NATO and the EU,” he added.

ALSO READ: EAM S Jaishankar Slams Pakistan At UNGA, Says ‘Major International Terrorist Attacks Are Traced Back To…’