Defiant Ukrainian leader asks for UN help against Russia

NEW YORK — Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko called out the United Nations for facilitating Russian obstructionism on the Security Council, imploring the international body to assist his country in combating what he described as “treacherous Russian aggression.”

Less than a day after US President Barack Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin butted heads over Putin’s actions in eastern Ukraine, Poroshenko took the stand at the United Nations General Assembly to castigate the Russian leader for staging an uprising against his authority.

“Ukraine needs help in its fight against treacherous Russian aggression,” Poroshenko declared during an impassioned speech early Tuesday afternoon.

The Ukrainian leader complained that the Russian activities in Crimea “bluntly and brutally” violated international law. Still, he argued, the international response to Russia’s actions was limited by Russia’s ability to cast a key veto in the United Nations Security Council – blocking resolutions related to the Russian army’s activities. As a permanent member of the Security Council, Russia can cast a veto against any resolution brought before the powerful UN body.

“Abuse of the veto right as a license to kill is absolutely unacceptable,” Poroshenko asserted. He repeatedly called on the General Assembly to take action during this session to defend Ukraine’s sovereignty – not just on the battlefield, but also against what he described as a “full-scale information war and propaganda campaign” which he said “has become a tool of Russian aggression.”

“I call upon the General Assembly to strongly condemn this shameful phenomena and to think of ways to confront it,” Poroshenko continued. “Ukraine has paid and continues to pay an extremely high price for its freedom – the price of human lives,” the Ukrainian leader proclaimed.

“Ukraine will win surely because truth is on our side,” he said, but added that it would happen much more quickly if the international community took a more active role.

Although Putin and Obama discussed Ukraine in their over-90-minute meeting Monday evening, the focus throughout the week has been directed by Putin to a discussion of Russia’s role in the Syrian civil war. Putin asserted Monday that his country can play a central role in the coalition opposing the Islamic State, but has insisted that it should do so by providing support to Syrian President Bashar Assad.

“How can you urge an anti-terrorism coalition if you inspire terrorism right in front of your own door?” Poroshenko quipped during his Tuesday speech.

Poroshenko’s impassioned speech may have been largely pointed toward the Russian delegation to the United Nations – but his words fell on deaf ears – or more accurately, empty chairs.

In a traditional display of acrimony in the world governing body, the Ukrainian delegation walked out on Putin’s Monday address and the Russians returned the snub, standing and leaving the room as Poroshenko took the podium.

The Ukrainian leader concluded his speech with a defiant declaration of “Slava Ukrainii” – glory to the Ukraine – even though no Russians were there to hear it. According to local reports, the speech was even blocked from Russian state television channels.

Despite the distractions, Ukrainian activists have hoped to use this United Nations session to press their cause.

As Putin spoke Monday, Ukrainians protested Russian activities, flying blue-and-yellow Ukrainian flags outside of the UN compound on Manhattan’s east side.

Despite taking a second seat to conflicts in the Middle East, the Ukrainian leader met briefly with Obama on the sidelines of the Leaders’ Conference on Peacekeeping on Monday.