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- "At the UN, we are increasingly seeing attempts to play along with the 'strong and rich'
"At the UN, we are increasingly seeing attempts to play along with the 'strong and rich'
The European Union explicitly prohibits its member countries from interacting with Moscow on the UN platform, Maria Zabolotskaya, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the organization, said in an interview with Izvestia. Many are under the influence of information propaganda, but the real situation is becoming clearer thanks to the explanatory work of our diplomats working in difficult conditions. Serious contradictions between the UN members are now limiting its role in resolving international conflicts. About new projects under the auspices of the World Organization and how they celebrate March 8 at its venues — in an exclusive interview with Maria Zabolotskaya to Izvestia.
"Our country is a pioneer of equality between men and women"
— International Women's Day on March 8 has been celebrated by the United Nations since 1975, but its Member States celebrate it in different ways. What joint events are planned on this occasion at the UN site in New York? Which countries have the most women in their representation?
— On March 8, the Commission on the Status of Women, the main body of the UN system that deals with their empowerment, usually begins its work. This year's session of the Commission is dedicated to the theme "Ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls". High-ranking delegations from all over the world come to New York for the meeting of this body. The Russian one is headed by Magomed Abdulkhalimov, Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Development. Individual countries and organizations from Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Europe hold events here.
This year, China, together with Egypt and Malaysia, invites us to discuss the use of digital technologies and artificial intelligence to protect women's rights, the African Union will draw attention to the problem of child marriage, and Brazil to the issue of femicide, that is, the killing of women and girls based on gender. The commission will open with a reception at the Morgan Library building in the heart of New York City.
There are many women among the missions of many countries to the UN, among whom there are permanent representatives. There are missions that consist mainly of women. Thus, the representative office of Guyana includes 12 diplomats, 10 of whom are women, including the Ambassador. At least one third of the Russian mission to the United Nations are women.
— Currently, women have only 64% of the legal rights that men have all over the world. In which countries is the situation the worst, and does the Russian Federation plan to provide assistance in this matter?
— In matters of human rights, including women's rights, Russia has always been in favor of helping states, not condemning them. Once we start calling specific countries the worst or the best, it's hard to avoid politicization. We believe that it is important to provide assistance specifically in social development and access to education — this, in turn, will have an impact on improving the status of women.
All countries follow their own unique path of historical development. Our country is a pioneer of equality between men and women. It was in our country that women were the first in the world to receive the right to participate in elections and applied it during the formation of the Constituent Assembly in 1917. One of the first female delegates was Alexandra Kollontai, a future female minister and ambassador. It is noteworthy that in our country, women received voting rights earlier than in the United States and Great Britain. For comparison, this happened in Switzerland at the federal level only in 1971.
Indeed, women's rights are not fully and universally realized. The UN says that success has been achieved by 64%. However, it is difficult to apply percentages in this matter. In the UN, they often try to replace women's rights with so-called "gender rights", which, in our opinion, does not help the fight for them. For our part, we are countering this trend and promoting women's rights.
— In September 2025, you mentioned the difficult situation with restrictions on movement for employees of the Permanent Mission and their family members. In November, Russian Ambassador to the United States Alexander Darchiev spoke about the relaxation within the agreed quotas for official and tourist trips. Are further easing or even the abolition of the 25–mile zone being discussed with the American side?
— In the United States, Russian diplomats are subject to various restrictions, including a ban on traveling beyond the 25-mile zone from the center of New York. These restrictions also apply to the Permanent Mission of Russia to the United Nations, despite the fact that this mission acts in the interests of our country in the World Organization, and not in relations with the United States. So far, this situation remains unchanged. We regularly discuss these issues in the UN Committee on Relations with the Host Country. Admittedly, other missions have similar problems.
"Many in the United Nations are under attack by a powerful information wave against the Russian Federation"
— Nevertheless, the Russian-American dialogue resumed in early 2025. Has the anti-Russian intensity in the United Nations decreased on the part of Western countries against the background of this negotiation process? Do you record the desire of the representatives of these countries for a more constructive dialogue against the background of calls from a number of European leaders for dialogue with Moscow?
— The UN is a universal organization with 193 countries represented in it. Russia is a respected member of this organization, which has established a constant and constructive dialogue with most of its member States on the entire range of issues under discussion. The Russian Federation has an independent voice in the UN, our country does not look at others when assessing a particular situation, and therefore our position is a beacon for many delegations.
It must be admitted that many at the United Nations are under attack by a powerful information wave organized against Russia. But, as you know, you can not "lie to everyone and always," now the real state of affairs is becoming clearer, largely due to the explanatory work that Russian diplomats are constantly doing.
As for Western countries, the European Union takes the most unconstructive position towards our country. I want to emphasize that we are talking primarily about this association as such. This structure prevents its member states from developing a dialogue with Russia and beyond. It keeps its members under ideological pressure, imposing harsh, unconstructive approaches on them, and explicitly prohibiting its members from interacting with the Russian Federation. How long the EU states are willing to put up with such a limitation of their sovereignty is a separate question.
— There are many conflicts on the international agenda right now. Can the UN play a constructive role in resolving them?
— Indeed, conflicts of varying degrees of intensity are raging all over the world today. The UN can help resolve them, but in reality its role is very limited. There are many reasons for this state of affairs, including serious contradictions between its members. In many ways, this was the result of the loss of the United Nations, and above all its Secretariat, objectivity and independence — we are increasingly witnessing attempts to play along with the "strong and rich." Russia is countering this approach, using its position in the organization to bring it back to strict compliance with the Charter.
We are convinced that the UN will maintain and strengthen its role in the international arena. This is a unique platform, in the creation of which our country played a key role. Its establishment became possible at the moment of the unity of the international community, which emerged as a result of the victory over Nazism and fascism. Currently, the world is far from similar unity, the rifts are intensifying, and we must maintain a structure that has unique mechanisms and legitimacy to overcome the crisis.
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