Ukraine invasion: Lawmakers push White House to oust Russia from UN Security Council

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Lawmakers on the Hill plan to introduce a resolution Monday that will call on President Biden to use the U.S.’s role as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council to try and oust Russia from the top governing body.

The council was formed during the aftermath of WWII and holds five permanent members: China, France, Russia, the U.K. and the U.S. – all of whom were allied against the Axis powers.

Several buildings in Starobilsk within the Luhansk Oblast region of Ukraine show significant damage because of shelling, according to images shared by the State Emergency Service of Ukraine.
(State Emergency Service of Ukraine)

But following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, this week world leaders have been united in condemning the Kremlin’s actions – with the notable exception of China. 

“It’s a long shot,” spokesman Nick Stewart for Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., who drafted the resolution, told Fox News. “Just because Russia has the veto power to something and will, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it.” 

Stewart said the resolution will put another layer of pressure on Russia to stop its illegal invasion of Ukraine – a tactic the U.N. Security Council will pursue Friday when it votes on a separate resolution condemning Russia’s behavior and calling for its immediate withdrawal from Ukraine. 

The House resolution has received bipartisan support, but it is unclear how the White House will choose to act on the non-binding call to action.

People look at the damage following a rocket attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Feb. 25, 2022. 
(AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti))

Stewart said the aim of the resolution is to point out that Russia’s continued standing as a permanent member of the international body tasked with preserving world order is “deeply hypocritical.”

The House resolution argues that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aggressive behavior against Ukraine “pose[s] a direct threat to international peace and security” and “run[s] contrary to its responsibilities and obligations as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.”

The document further states Russia’s actions have not only violated Ukraine’s sovereignty but have “destabilized the security of the continent of Europe.”

The House resolution further urges the Biden administration to lobby the other sitting members of the Security Council to consider Russia’s eviction from the governing body.  

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