Vasily Nebenzya, Permanent Representative of Russia to the United Nations, threw a tantrum over Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s speech at the UN Security Council. The Russian turned red with rage because the Ukrainian leader was privileged to speak first.
“We want to ask on what basis you propose to give the president of Ukraine the floor before the speeches of the members of the Security Council, who are also represented here at the level of heads of state and government,” Nebenzya said.
The representative of Russia appealed to the chairman of the meeting of the Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama. The Russian diplomat threatened that Albania risks tarnishing its reputation by giving Zelenskyy the right to speak before others.
Edi Rama poked fun at the angry Russian and emphasized that the speech of the Ukrainian president at the beginning of the meeting was not a personal whim of the chairperson but an agreed decision of all members of the Security Council.
“I want to assure our Russian colleagues and everyone here that this is not a special operation by the Albanian presidency, but a continuation of a good tradition and practice. If you [Russia] agree, you stop the war and President Zelenskyy will not take the floor,” the Albanian representative said.
Cover: David Dee Delgado / Reuters
