Russia Distances Itself From Two Items on UN General Assembly Agenda

Russia has moved to distance itself from two specific items on the current United Nations General Assembly agenda, according to a report from the state news agency TASS.

The two items concern what the agenda describes as the "temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine" and the "international residual mechanism for criminal tribunals." TASS's report did not elaborate on the exact language Russian representatives used to distance the country from these items or specify whether Russia formally objected to their inclusion on the agenda.

Russia's Position on Ukrainian Territory

Russia has annexed several Ukrainian regions since its full-scale invasion in 2022, characterizing them as Russian territory, in a move not recognized by Ukraine or the vast majority of the international community, which continues to refer to these areas as occupied Ukrainian territory. UN agenda items referencing "temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine" reflect the position held by Ukraine and most member states, which Moscow disputes.

The international residual mechanism for criminal tribunals is a UN body that carries out remaining functions of earlier international criminal tribunals, including matters related to war crimes prosecutions. Russia has previously criticized international judicial bodies it views as being used against its interests, including in relation to the conflict in Ukraine.

TASS's report did not include additional context on the parliamentary process by which Russia sought to distance itself from these agenda items, such as whether this involved a formal statement, a vote, or a procedural objection. The move reflects Russia's broader pattern of contesting UN agenda items and characterizations that run counter to its official positions on Ukraine and international justice mechanisms.