White House urges Russia to act professionally during UN Security Council presidency

[1/2] A general view of the White House in the hours before U.S. President Joe Biden delivers the annual State of the Union speech in Washington, U.S. February 7, 2023. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

WASHINGTON, March 30 (Reuters) - The White House on Thursday urged Russia to conduct itself professionally when it assumes its scheduled UN Security Council presidency next month, saying there was no means to block Moscow from the post.

"We urge Russia to conduct itself professionally," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told a news briefing. "We expect Russia to continue to use its seat on the council to spread disinformation" and justify its actions in Ukraine.

"Unfortunately, Russia is a permanent member of the Security Council and no feasible international legal pathway exists to change that reality," Jean-Pierre said. "The reality is this is a larger position, which rotates to council members month by month in alphabetical order."

Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; writing by Paul Grant; editing by Tim Ahmann

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