Russia holds a UN meeting about global cooperation. US calls it ‘hypocrisy’ after Ukraine invasion

UNITED NATIONS — Russia’s foreign minister accused the United States on Tuesday of holding the entire West “at gunpoint” and impeding international cooperation, a claim the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations denounced as “hypocrisy” by a country that invaded neighboring Ukraine. “The Russian Federation’s continued illegal actions and blatant hypocrisy undermine multilateral and international cooperation” and “exacerbate regional tensions, and endanger international peace and security,” the 50 countries said. Instead, Lavrov started the meeting criticizing the United States for declaring “its own exceptionalism.” “All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others,” Lavrov said, quoting George Orwell’s famed novel “Animal Farm.” He then went on to attack NATO’s “reckless expansion” in Europe despite repeated warnings from Moscow and said the “special military operation” in Ukraine was launched to eliminate threats to Russia’s security. Responding to Lavrov’s 20-minute speech, Thomas-Greenfield said: “I thought I was in the wrong room because this seemed to be a session whining about the United States and the West, and I hardly heard the world ‘multilateralism’ mentioned.” “As we speak, Russia continues to erode confidence in our institutions, while willfully and flagrantly violating the core tenets of the United Nations Charter: territorial integrity, respect for human rights, international cooperation,” she said. Speaking to Russia’s Lavrov, Woodward said, “While you tell us how you believe the world order can become more just, democratic and sustainable, your military is systematically bombing civilians in Ukraine in an unprovoked war of aggression, and in flagrant violation of the U.N. Charter.” “What is just about trying to annex another country’s land?