The United States expressed its disappointment over a procedural vote in the UN Security Council, describing it as "entirely predictable and avoidable." The criticism was directed at the Russian Federation for pushing forward with a meeting that lacked sufficient support.
"This procedural vote today was entirely predictable and avoidable. It is unfortunate that the Russian Federation has wasted this Council’s time by insisting on moving forward with a meeting, even though it never had the requisite support," stated the U.S. representative.
The U.S. abstained from voting due to Russia's approach, emphasizing its willingness to participate in discussions that appropriately address past events but rejecting any attempts to use historical tragedies for propaganda purposes. "While we can support a meeting in the appropriate format that addresses the impacts of events from 1999, we cannot support a meeting that so blatantly instrumentalizes the tragic events of the last century to further a propaganda campaign."
The U.S. accused Russia of attempting to manipulate the Council and destabilize the Western Balkans, saying, "It is about the Kremlin’s self-serving efforts to thwart stability throughout the Western Balkans, manipulate this Council to peddle its propaganda, and inflame regional tensions in pursuit of its destabilizing ambitions in the region."
Despite these challenges, the United States reiterated its commitment to responsible discussions within the Council and looked forward to future meetings. "The United States will continue to support responsible discussions in this Council," noted their representative.