Russian Envoy Says New UN Secretary-General Should Not Be Beholden to Any Party

Russia's ambassador to the United Nations, Vasily Nebenzya, said the next UN secretary-general should not be "in anyone's pocket," according to a report by the Russian state news agency TASS.

"He must be objective; he must serve all UN member states," Nebenzya was quoted as saying.

The remarks come amid ongoing discussions about the future leadership of the United Nations, though TASS's report did not specify a timeline for the selection process or name any candidates under consideration.

Nebenzya's comments reflect Russia's stated position that the UN's top official should act independently and represent the interests of the full membership rather than any single bloc or country, according to TASS.

TASS did not provide further details on the context in which the ambassador made his remarks or whether other officials had responded to the statement.