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In a sign of solidarity with Ukraine, many delegations, including Western countries, left the room where the Conference on Disarmament is meeting today during the intervention of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
Diplomats left the room at the start of a videotaped speech by Lavrov, who had originally planned to go to Geneva for the Conference on Disarmament. But yesterday, Monday, he cancelled that trip because of what he called "anti-Russian sanctions" that prevent him from flying in EU airspace.
Only a few delegations remained in the room, including those of Yemen, Algeria, Venezuela, Syria and Tunisia.
Outside the hall, attendees applauded the departing delegations.
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It is "important to make a gesture of solidarity with our Ukrainian friends," said Jan Huang, the French ambassador to the Conference on Disarmament.
Some members of the delegations also carried the Ukrainian flag, the Athens News Agency reported.
Lavrov in his speech[/B] pointed out that Kiev is seeking to acquire nuclear weapons, calling it a real danger that must be prevented.
"Ukraine still has Soviet technologies and means to obtain such weapons," he said. "We cannot fail to respond to this real danger."
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba[/B] also addressed the Conference on Disarmament in a videotaped speech and accused Russia of war crimes with his "indiscriminate bombing" of cities.
"Nothing can justify the missile bombing of residential buildings, kindergartens, orphanages, hospitals and aid vehicles, civilian buses, nor the millions of refugees fleeing to escape Russian fire."
"Russian aggression is a global threat."
"Russian aggression is a global threat. Consequently, the response to this threat should be global."
The Ukrainian ambassador, for his part, told the conference that Kiev has called for an extraordinary meeting "on the threat to world peace and security posed by Russian aggression against Ukraine, including the issue of weapons of mass destruction."
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