Melnik addressed Nebenzia in Russian with a touch of irony at the UN Security Council
During a UN Security Council meeting, Ukraine’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Andriy Melnyk, sharply criticized Russia and called on international partners to tighten sanctions against the Russian energy sector.
Andriy Melnyk, Ukraine’s Permanent Representative to the UN, made these remarks during his address at the UN Security Council meeting.
The Ukrainian diplomat emphasized that recent exemptions regarding the sale of Russian oil could bring Russia approximately $10 billion in April alone. He stressed that these funds will not be directed toward social needs.
“Does anyone believe that these windfall profits will go toward funding schools, hospitals, or sanitation? They will finance Russia’s war of destruction against Ukraine,” Melnik stated.
According to him, such revenues are sufficient to produce up to half a million “Shahed”-type drones, which pose a serious threat to Ukraine.
Separately, he called on the U.S. to intensify sanctions pressure and urged EU countries to step up the fight against Russia’s “shadow fleet,” which allows it to circumvent restrictions.
“This loophole must be closed for good,” the diplomat emphasized.
Melnik also called on European countries to increase military aid to Ukraine to 1% of GDP, noting that this would send a clear signal to Russia.
He added that the negotiation process is effectively blocked by Russia, so the Security Council must move from statements to real mechanisms of influence, including new sanctions decisions.
Addressing the Russian delegation, Melnik stated that Moscow would not be able to win the war even with revenue from energy exports. In his speech, he also ironically addressed Russian Permanent Representative Vasily Nebenzya, saying in Russian:
“It’s too late, Vasya, to drink Borjomi,” adding in English: “When your kidneys have already failed.”
The Security Council meeting was convened following another round of Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities, particularly Dnipro and other regions.
Prior to this, Ukraine’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Andriy Melnyk, sharply criticized narratives about the alleged historical unity of Ukrainians and Russians.
As a reminder, on March 23, the UN Security Council convened an emergency meeting at Ukraine’s request to discuss the ongoing missile attacks by the Russian Federation.
