Russia not elected to UN ship agency's governing council

Russia has failed to secure a seat on the Council of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), the UN agency responsible for maritime safety.

"This is yet another defeat for the Russian Federation in elections to the governing bodies of international organisations – after failures at UNESCO and OPCW – a clear continuation of its growing international isolation," Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha wrote on X.

Sybiha stressed that Russia is a terrorist state that systematically violates international law, attacks civilian vessels, destroys port infrastructure and operates a shadow fleet in blatant disregard of safety standards.

He noted that, given the circumstances, it is only natural that Moscow has no place on the International Maritime Organisation's executive body.

"Today's vote demonstrates that the international community does not tolerate unlawful behaviour at sea. It reaffirms that international law prevails," he added.

The Assembly of the IMO elected China, Greece, Italy, Japan, the United States, Norway, Panama, Liberia, South Korea and the United Kingdom to the agency's Council for 2026-2027.

In 2023, Russia was the only candidate country that failed to be elected to the Council out of 11 candidate countries for Category "A" membership (states with the greatest interest in providing international shipping services).

This year, for the third time in a row, Russia was not elected to the Executive Council of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), while Ukraine secured a seat.