The imaginary culmination of Russia’s presidency on the UN Security Council is just around the corner. The meeting of the world order watchdog on Monday will be chaired by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, at a time when Russian missiles have been killing civilians in Ukraine recently. For example in the Donetsk or Kherson regions.

Lavrov has arrived in New York, Russian news agency TASS reported, citing Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. He was able to enter American territory thanks to his participation in the UN meeting.

On the other hand, America did not provide the necessary visas to Russian journalists who were supposed to cover the trip of the head of diplomacy. Moscow strongly condemned the move. “We will not forgive or forget anything like that.” he says Lavrov before leaving for New York.

The United States took this action at a time of growing tensions over the imprisonment of American reporter Evan Gershkovich in Russia. Authorities there accused him of espionage, according to the US.

TASS wrote that during the visit, Lavrov will meet UN Secretary General António Guterres. According to information from Russian diplomats, he may also meet his American counterpart, Antony Blinken, according to the agency. However, the meeting is not planned in advance, so it depends on the circumstances, said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov.

Lavrov at the Security Council are planning to develop debates about a new world order, which Russia, such as China, wants to change. They want a multipolar system in which they will have more influence at the expense of the currently dominant United States.

“Our goal is to lead the debate on the form of a new world order that will replace the current unipolar world order,” a recent preview according to the server RTÉ Russian Ambassador to the UN Vasily Nebenzya.

In early April, during his visit to Turkey, Lavrov emphasized that peace in Ukraine can only be achieved if a peace agreement is based on the principles of a new world order.

Lavrov also wants to argue for the protection of the principles of the UN Charter. It is Russia that has repeatedly violated these provisions, for example by using force against other sovereign countries. But Moscow has also frequently pointed out other countries’ violations of international law.

Russia has announced Lavrov’s visit to the United Nations in early April, when the country will serve as president of the Security Council under a long-term arrangement, the last time it hosted it was last February, at the start of the Security Council. Russian invasion of Ukraine (we wrote here). Western politicians have been debating whether or not to boycott the performance.

“The argument for Western diplomats attending the meeting is that their absence will leave Russia free to determine the debate,” he said in an interview with an Irish television station. RTÉ director of the International Crisis Group think tank in Brussels Richard Gowan.

Usually, when the senior representative of the country presiding over the Security Council meeting presides, it is customary for other countries to send similar high-ranking diplomats to the meeting. But in this case, some countries are considering sending lower-ranking diplomats or not at all to show their disapproval of Russia.

In the end, according to RTÉ’s diplomatic sources, most countries decided not to boycott the meeting, recognizing that the presence of representatives defending Ukraine’s position could be important.

“The more Western leaders talk about strengthening multilateralism, humanitarian assistance and peacekeeping, the more difficult it will be for Russia to dictate the course of the debate,” said Richard Gowan.

According to a spokesperson for the US mission to the UN, US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield is ready to address topics such as climate change, food security, territorial sovereignty and human rights. “The difference between Russian and US ideas about the world is obvious. Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield will try to demonstrate this contrast clearly during negotiations,” the press department of the US mission to the UN said.

EU diplomats also plan to speak out against the Russian foreign minister. During the meeting, they plan to submit a joint statement condemning Russia’s actions. But maybe Russia won’t consider the actions of Western diplomats and will once again blame the West for the current state of world politics and the conflict in Ukraine.

At the start of the month, Russia took the lead in the debate over the fate of children deported from Ukraine to Russia. Moscow defended itself by taking the children to ensure their safety, saying they would eventually be allowed to return to their families after the conflict. Ukraine has long denied Russia’s claims.

The meeting was attended by Russia’s Commissioner for Children’s Rights, Marija Lvovová-Bělovová, who has issued an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court in The Hague in connection with the alleged abduction of children from Ukrainian territory, as well as Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The United States and Britain strongly opposed his appearance. Their diplomats left the hall and vetoed the broadcast of the meeting on the UN website. Although informal meetings are often held there, members of the Security Council have the option of blocking them, but they rarely do so. This time, the American and British delegations did just that to prevent the further spread of the “Russian lie”.