Ukraine’s UN Representative speaks of Russia’s "crushing defeat" in election of judges, particularly in Security Council vote

The voting for judges of the UN International Court of Justice showed that Russia still retains some influence within the UN, while the failure of Russia’s representative to be elected was a crushing defeat for Moscow.

Source: Serhii Kyslytsia, Ukraine’s Permanent Representative to the UN, said this in a comment to European Pravda 

Details: Kyslytsia stressed that for Moscow, the failure of its nominee, Kirill Gevorgian, to be elected is a "crushing defeat", because for the first time since 1946, a Russian judge will not be represented in the world’s highest court, the International Court of Justice.

Quote from Kyslytsia: "These elections proved that Russia still retains some influence in the UN. Despite everything, they were able to gain 77 votes [in the General Assembly - ed.], and that is a lot (although it is a fiasco for Moscow in terms of UN history)."

The diplomat recalled that Russia received 83 votes in October’s elections to the UN Human Rights Council, and although that was not enough to be elected, it is "a lot in terms of assessing the world's readiness to defend human rights".

"Meanwhile, Russia suffered a total defeat in the UN Security Council vote: despite the fact that Moscow, as a permanent member of the Security Council, has special powers and influence on other members, there was not a single round in which it received more than five or six votes [out of the fifteen Security Council members - ed.]," Ukraine’s permanent representative emphasised.

"By comparison, the US received 12-14 votes in every round," he added.

Background:

• Kirill Gevorgian and Bogdan Aurescu, representatives of the Russian Federation and Romania, were nominated from the Eastern Europe region. Aurescu won, receiving 117 votes from General Assembly members.
• Bogdan Aurescu headed Romania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for almost five years – from November 2019 to June 2023 – and before that, for one year from 2014 to 2015.
• The International Court of Justice comprises 15 judges, with five new judges elected every three years. Each judge represents a certain regional group of countries and must enlist the support of members of the UN Security Council and General Assembly.

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