The United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken has openly questioned Russia's place in the United Nations Human Rights Council.
On Tuesday morning, Blinken delivered an impassioned speech via a video link to the UN Human Rights Council.
During his address, he condemned Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine, and called out Russia for targeting civilian infrastructure - saying that Russian strikes "are hitting schools, hospitals, and residential buildings".
He told those in attendance: "[Russia] are destroying critical infrastructure, which provides millions of people across Ukraine with drinking water, gas to keep them from freezing to death, and electricity. Civilian buses, cars, and even ambulances have been shelled. Russia is doing this every day – across Ukraine."
Watch Blinken's powerful address below:Russia has repeatedly maintained that there have been no targets on Ukrainian civilian infrastructure and that there is no evidence of civilian deaths, CNN reports. However, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday that Russia had committed a "war crime" following an alleged attack on the city of Kharkiv.
"Today, Russian forces brutally fired on Kharkiv from jet artillery. It was clearly a war crime," Zelensky said, before adding: "No one in the world will forgive you for killing peaceful Ukrainian people."
Today (March 1), Blinken also questioned Russia's place in the UN, telling the United Nations Human Rights Council: "One can reasonably ask whether a UN member state that tries to take over another UN member state – while committing horrific human rights abuses and causing massive humanitarian suffering – should be allowed to remain on this council."
The UN Human Rights Council currently consists of 47 member states - including Russia - each selected by the UN general assembly.
Blinken would also criticize other countries for not taking a stronger stance against Russia amid the conflict.
"Council members should stop using language implying that all sides bear equal responsibility for the unprovoked attack of one side," Blinken said. "This isn’t evenhanded – it’s wrong – and fails to place accountability where it belongs."
"The same goes for members who argue, falsely, that denouncing human rights abuses is 'politicizing' the situation. It is failing to speak up about human rights abuses that politicizes the situation," Blinken added.
Blinken then called on UNHRC to come together and attempt to put an end to the crisis in Ukraine, saying: "These are the human rights abuses this council was created to stop. If we cannot come together now, when will we come together?"
If you would like to know how you can support the Ukrainian people at this time, click HERE to find a list of organizations and groups dedicated to helping those affected by this crisis.