On Monday, Ukraine demanded that Russia be removed from the United Nations.
Russia, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, has the ability to veto any resolution, which has caused concern among Western powers.
"Ukraine calls on UN member states... to deprive the Russian Federation of its status as a permanent member of the UN Security Council and to expel it from the UN," the foreign ministry said in a statement.
Ukraine announced on Sunday that it would request that Russia be removed as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council on Monday, according to Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.
"We will officially state our position tomorrow. We have a simple question: Does Russia have the right to remain a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council and to exist at all?" he said late Sunday night during a national television marathon.
"We have a compelling and reasoned response: no, it does not."
According to Arab News, Kuleba stated that the issue of Russia's veto-wielding permanent seat on the UN Security Council, which is also held by the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and China, is already being discussed in diplomatic circles.
"These issues have not yet been discussed at press conferences or in public statements by leaders of states and governments, but at a lower level, people are already asking the question — what Russia should become in order to not pose a threat to peace and security," he said.
The Security Council is composed of 15 members who are tasked with dealing with global crises by imposing sanctions, authorizing military action, and approving changes to the UN charter.
However, the permanent five, who all have veto power and can block any resolution, reflect the power dynamics at the end of WWII.
Countries have long pleaded for Security Council reform, with some criticizing the lack of representation for African and Latin American countries in permanent seats.
A single veto-wielding member can also render the body ineffective, as demonstrated in February when diplomats continued to read pre-written statements as Russia began bombarding Ukraine.
In September, US President Joe Biden stated his support for expanding the Security Council and making it "more inclusive" — a rare call for action from Washington, given that it famously bypassed the Council to invade Iraq during George W. Bush's administration.
Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Western powers have scrutinized UN procedural rules to ensure Russia does not prevent Security Council meetings from taking place.
