As the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) prepares to convene once more to deliberate on the many crises facing the world, concerns over security and humanitarian problems in Ukraine, Libya, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Middle East broadly dominate the minds of the UNSC’s Member States. Even Member States who do not wish for the primary topic to be about conflict have generally covered ongoing conflicts. The Republic of Albania has said that it, “firmly supports an agenda centering on gender equality, the empowerment of women and the protection of women’s rights,” but then later stated that it “uniformly condemns Russian soldiers, and the Russian Federation, for proliferating this horrific tactic on Ukrainian women and girls.” This trend is present throughout the UNSC, with every Member State on the UNSC addressing specific conflicts between Member States or countering terrorism across the world.

Of particular concern to the UNSC’s Member States has been the war in Ukraine, with 10 Member States directly mentioning the war in Ukraine in statements leading up to the new session. Of the 10 direct references, nine of them have condemned the Russian Federation for its role in the conflict, which is one under a two-thirds majority of the UNSC. The only Member State mentioning the war in Ukraine without a condemnation has been Representative Ryan Conover of the United Arab Emirates, who stated that, “bilateral talks between Russia and Ukraine will let the United Nations focus on getting humanitarian aid to the region and prevent an even bigger crisis.” While the Russian Federation has not signaled what it intends to focus on during the UNSC’s current session, it could face roadblocks in the face of the condemnations from its fellow Member States while also fighting to prevent a discussion on the war in Ukraine.