President William Ruto has condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukrainian territory, highlighting the irony that Russia is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, whose primary mandate is to ensure peace in countries across the globe.
Delivering a lecture at Peking University in China on Wednesday, April 23, Ruto made the remarks while addressing one of the four key themes of his presentation—peace and security.
“The Security Council, once a beacon of peace and diplomacy, now has one of its permanent members invading another country,” Ruto said.
At the same time, the Head of State criticized former U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration for taking sides in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, appearing to lean towards the Russian government.
“Another member takes sides in a conflict, in direct contradiction to the Council’s own resolutions. Yet today, the permanent members live in denial and resist reforms, even as the Security Council becomes increasingly illegitimate and its relevance is being called into question,” Ruto stated.
Ruto Criticizes UN Security Council
Additionally, Ruto questioned the Security Council for allowing its members to commit such actions.
The Head of State’ s remarks come after Russia declared a 30- hour Easter truce, although both sides have accused each other of violating the ceasefire multiple times.
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Despite this, discussions about potential peace talks are ongoing, with Russian President Vladimir Putin hinting at direct negotiations.
Fighting has resumed following the brief truce, with significant military activity reported on both sides.
During his address, President William Ruto also discussed the ongoing trade conflict between the U. S. and Russia, suggesting that Nairobi is well- positioned to act as a mediator between the United States and China.
The Head of State Offers to Mediate Trade War Between US and China
Chinese President Xi Jinping increased tariffs on U. S. goods to 125% after U. S. President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on Chinese products, raising them to 145%.
Ruto noted that his state visit to China is similar to his upcoming state visit to the United States in May 2024.
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He explained that these state visits could indicate that Kenya is capable of bridging the gap between the East and West amid the current tensions.
“This visit, as the first state visit by an African leader to China this year, reflects my 2024 visit to the U. S., which will be the first such visit in 15 years.
Perhaps, symbolically, Kenya can act as a link between the East and West, as well as the North and South, during this time of escalating geopolitical conflicts,” Ruto stated.
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