Categories: World

Russia ally denied election to UN Security Council in wake of Ukraine war

close Video

Russia and Belarus’ nuclear agreement is ‘irresponsible’ and ‘provocative,’ White House says

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Thursday responded after Russia signed an agreement with Belarus to store tactical nuclear weapons in the country, which neighbors several NATO allies and Ukraine.

Belarus was denied a spot on the United Nations Security Council Tuesday as five other nations joined the rotational ranks, granting them voting powers for the next two years. 

Algeria, Guyana, Sierra Leone and South Korea won the top spots after running unopposed with their terms set to begin on Jan. 1, 2024.

Slovenia, which ran against Belarus, beat out the Russia-aligned nation in an overwhelming defeat, securing 153 votes from the UN General Assembly to Belarus’ 38 votes.

Tanja Fajon, deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs of the Republic of Slovenia, holds a press briefing after the UN Security Council elections in New York, United States on June 6, 2023. (Selcuk Acar/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

365 BELARUSIANS SANCTIONED BY POLAND OVER JOURNALIST’S ‘DRACONIAN’ JAIL SENTENCE

Belarus had run unopposed for the 2024 Eastern European seat beginning in 2007 until it violently cracked down on protestors following a 2020 presidential election.

Western nations and human rights groups accused Minsk of falsifying the election results to secure Alexander Lukashenko — who has been president since 1994 — another presidential win.

Security Council meeting on “maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine” at UN Headquarters.  (Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)

IRAN’S NEW LEADERSHIP ROLE ON UN DISARMAMENT COMMITTEE SLAMMED BY US, ISRAEL: ‘ABSURD BEYOND CONTEMPLATION’

By December 2021 Slovenia entered the UN Security Council race against Belarus, reported Reuters. 

Belarus has since been one of the few nations to back Russia in its deadly invasion of Ukraine and last month allowed Russia to move forward with a plan to deploy tactical nuclear weapons within its borders.

But opposition to Belarus’ appointment by the General Assembly was not a guarantee after it elected Iran — which has also been a top Russia supporter in its war efforts in Ukraine — to a vice presidential role on the General Committee for the 78th session set to begin in September.

In this photo released by Roscongress Foundation, Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko talk to each other during the plenary session of the Eurasian Economic Forum in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, May 24, 2023.  (Vyacheslav Viktorov, Roscongress Foundation via AP)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

In addition, Iran was also elected to sit as rapporteur for the General Assembly’s Committee on Disarmament and International Security, despite its record in violating ballistic and nuclear regulations outlined under UN charter.

The newly elected member states will replace Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana and the United Arab Emirates and join the five permanent veto-wielding members including Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States.

Reuters contributed to this report. 

Caitlin McFall is a Reporter at Fox News Digital covering Politics, U.S. and World news.

Share

Recent Posts

Dominican attorney general grills witness in missing American case at his resort in person

close Video Ted Williams says investigators ‘cannot rule anything out’ in search for missing college…

59 minutes ago

El Salvador takes in hundreds of Venezuelan gang members from US, even as judge moves to block deportations

The president of El Salvador announced his country has accepted hundreds of Venezuelan gang members…

1 hour ago

DOGE’s plans to offload government buildings supported by former GSA official

EXCLUSIVE: Former General Services Administration (GSA) head Emily Murphy, who served all of President Donald…

1 hour ago

Trump watches strike on Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen in new White House pics as large-scale op continues

The White House released photos of President Donald Trump watching strikes on Iran-backed Houthis in…

1 hour ago

Karoline Leavitt says she won’t attend White House Correspondents’ Association dinner

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said she is skipping the White House Correspondents' Association…

1 hour ago

‘Alien’ encounter: NASA astronaut plays joke as SpaceX team arrives

Even astronauts have a sense of humor, as shown during NASA's Crew-10 docking on the…

2 hours ago