Russia has opted not to support a United Nations initiative aimed at uniting divided nations to address 21st-century challenges, including climate change and artificial intelligence.
During the Summit of the Future on Monday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin stated that the summit’s documents do not impose obligations on Russia, as they lack consensus. The U.N. General Assembly approved the 42-page “Pact for the Future” on Sunday, calling on the leaders of 193 member nations to turn promises into meaningful actions for over 8 billion people.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres thanked member states for adopting the pact, emphasizing its potential to foster collaboration on pressing issues like inequality and conflict. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed strong support for the pact, stating that maintaining the status quo is not an option. He reinforced the U.S. commitment to modernizing the U.N. system to reflect contemporary global realities.
The adoption of the pact at the summit’s opening came after significant uncertainty, prompting Guterres to prepare multiple speeches in anticipation of different outcomes, according to U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric.
