EU’s Michel proposes suspending Russia’s UNSC permanent membership

President of the European Council Charles Michel has called for Russia to be suspended from the United Nations Security Council.

Russia should lose its UNSC seat for going to war in Ukraine, Michel said, addressing the UN General Assembly on Friday, September 3, The National reports.

"When a permanent member of the Security Council launches an unprovoked and unjustifiable war … which is condemned by the General Assembly, that warrants suspension from the Security Council," Michel said.

"That, in my view, should be automatic."

Russia has used its veto to hobble any actions the Security Council could have taken to prevent or condemn the war.

"The Kremlin launched a war against the Ukrainian people and hundreds of millions of women and children are thus targeted throughout the world," Michel said.

"They are threatened with famine and they are left without heat, and they are crushed by the energy prices."

He lambasted Russia for the "poisonous lies" it has used to justify the invasion, which has brought a scale of violence and destruction not seen in Europe since World War 2.

"We cannot allow the destructive actions of one of us to imperil our common fierce determination to act for the common good," Michel said.