The UN Security Council declines to review Ukrainian language law at Russia’s request
The UN Security Council declined to review the law making the Ukrainian language the state language, reported by Radio Svoboda.
At the beginning of the meeting, representatives of several countries refused to consider the issue, especially as it was the day of the new president of Ukraine’s inauguration, stating that this was Russia’s attempt to exert pressure on Kyiv. Representatives of France, Germany, the USA, Belgium and Poland expressed their opposition.
During the vote on whether or not to approve the agenda, five representatives voted in favor, six against and four abstained.
Russia initiated the session. On May 18, the Russian delegation called on the Chairman of the UN Security Council and asked to convene a meeting to address the Verkhovna Rada’s adoption of the language law. Speaker of the Permanent Mission of Ukraine to the UN Oleh Nikolenko believes that by doing so, Russia wants to marginalize the UN Security Council.
On May 15, President Petro Poroshenko signed the law on the Ukrainian language. Earlier, it was voted in by the Rada and signed by Parubiy.
The law calls for use of Ukrainian language in all public spheres. The Ukrainian language became the state language, it is the language to be used by all state bodies, for record-keeping and document circulation, duporring legal proceedings, by the Armed Forces, by law enforcement agencies and in the business and education sectors.