Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov backed India’s bid for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council during his address to the United Nations General Assembly, while strongly opposing any expansion of permanent membership for Western countries.
Addressing world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Saturday (local time), Lavrov said reforms to the UN Security Council should not dilute the prerogatives of the Council or its existing permanent members. He also said the reforms should not include additional permanent seats for Western nations, particularly Germany and Japan, while advocating greater representation for the Global South.
We support India’s candidatureย for a permanent seat: Lavrov
“UN Security Council reform cannot involve any additional seats being allocated to Western countries, especially to Germany and Japan, who are now on the path to militarism and revanchism,” Lavrov stated.
Advocating for a more inclusive and geographically balanced global architecture, the Russian Foreign Minister voiced strong support for expanding representation from the Global South.
“We are in favour of broadening the representation of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. We support Brazil’s and India’s candidatures for a permanent seat,” Lavrov said, adding, “And at the same time, I wish to emphasise this, we must satisfy the interests of the African continent in keeping with the Israeli consensus and the SEAT declaration.”
Portugal and Mauritius voice support for India’s bidย
Russia was not the only country to back New Delhi’s bid. Portugal and Mauritius have also expressed support for Indiaโs candidature for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council.
Mauritian Foreign Minister Dhananjay Ramful threw his country’s weight behind New Delhi, stating, “We support the positions of the G4 and of L69 on Council reform, and we reiterate our support for India’s candidature for a permanent seat, commensurate with its constructive role in global affairs.”
Portugal also amplified the chorus for structural reform, with Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro advocating for a more representative Council featuring permanent representation for Africa, Brazil, and India.
Indirect support for New Delhi’s ambitions came via the four-nation G4 alliance. Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine articulated this backing, noting, “The Marshall Islands affirms its longstanding support for Japan and its G4 partners to achieve permanent membership on the UN Security Council.”
While Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi did not name individual G4 candidates in her address, Tokyo placed reform front and centre. Urging swift structural changes, Takaichi remarked, “We need to transform it without delay into a structure that truly reflects the current realities of the international community.”
The current permanent composition, comprising China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, wields absolute veto authority alongside 10 non-permanent members serving two-year terms. Any structural modification mandates a two-thirds majority vote in the General Assembly, ratification by two-thirds of the wider UN membership, and the explicit concurrence of all five permanent members.ย ย
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