US Ambassador to UN Thomas-Greenfield says Russia's participation in Human Rights Council is a farce

Russia's participation in the Human Rights Council is a farce and it is time for the UN General Assembly to suspend this country from the UN forum, US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield told a press conference in Bucharest on Monday, Agerpres reports.

According to her, the brutal, horrific attacks on civilians, documented yesterday by journalists in Bucha, have shocked and shaken the whole world back to reality, as the members of Russian forces have committed war crimes in Ukraine.

Thomas-Greenfield spoke about the steps that will be taken to suspend Russia from the Human Rights Council.

On behalf of the US she said Russia must be held accountable, and that she was returning to New York to do two things: one - she will go to the Security Council on Tuesday morning and address Russia's actions firmly and directly; two - in close coordination with Ukraine, the European Union countries and other UN partners the US will demand Russia's suspension from the Human Rights Council.

The diplomat recalled that 140 UN states had condemned Russia and called for swift, additional efforts.

The images taken in Bucea and the disaster on the territory of Ukraine call for all the UN to rise to the level of statements doubled by action, as the organization cannot allow a member states that goes against all the fundamental principles of UN to continue to be in the Human Rights Council. Russia should not have a position of authority in this Council and it shouldn't be allowed to use its role in the Council as a propaganda tool to suggest that it has any legitimate human rights concerns. In reality, she continued, everybody can see every day, including yesterday, how little was Russia concerned with the human rights. Russia's participation in the Human Rights Council is a farce, according to the high US dignitary. It hurts the credibility of the Council and of the UN in general and it was simply wrong, she went on to day. That is why Linda Thomas-Greenfield insisted that the UN General Assembly suspends Russia from the Council.

Before talking to the press, she met with Ukrainian refugees at the Bucharest North railway station.