Russia slams US for not granting visa to diplomat for UN meeting
TL;DR
Russia criticized the US for denying a visa to Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Alimov for a UN meeting, claiming it violates international obligations. The US is required to grant visas to foreign diplomats attending UN functions promptly and without charge.
Key points
- Russia condemned the US for denying a visa to Alexander Alimov.
- The visa denial is seen as a breach of US obligations under a 1947 agreement.
- The US must grant visas to foreign diplomats for UN meetings promptly.
Mentioned in this story
Russia has slammed the United States for failing to grant a visa to Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Alimov to attend a United Nations Security Council meeting in New York, calling the decision a breach of Washington’s obligations.
Vassily Nebenzia told the Security Council on Tuesday that the country should have been represented by Alimov – “who oversees matters related to the United Nations” – at the meeting.
“However, despite all of our attempts to persuade the US side to issue a visa to him, that visa was ultimately not granted,” Nebenzia said.
The 1947 agreement that established the international body’s headquarters in New York requires the US to issue visas to foreign diplomats looking to attend UN functions “without charge and as promptly as possible”.
Nebenzia said not granting a visa to Alimov is a violation of that treaty and also a slight to Beijing, which is chairing the Security Council in May.
“We view this not just as a breach by Washington of its obligations under United Nations Headquarters Agreement, according to which access to United Nations needs to be provided for all officials and member states, barring none, but we also view this as an egregious instance of disrespect for the Chinese presidency of the Security Council,” he said.
The US Department of State did not immediately respond to Al Jazeera’s request for comment.
The visa controversy comes at a time of receding tensions between Washington and Moscow as US President Donald Trump pushes to end the war in Ukraine.
Trump has been regularly speaking with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. But Washington has continued to enforce sanctions against Moscow over the Ukraine invasion.
Both Putin and Trump have separately visited China and met with its president, Xi Jinping, in recent weeks.
Earlier this week, Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Abbas Araghchi, the country’s top diplomat, cancelled his participation in Tuesday’s Security Council meeting due to visa issues.
During last year’s UN General Assembly, in September 2025, the US imposed strict limits on the movement of the Iranian delegation in New York.
In 2019, the US also delayed then-Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s visa for the General Assembly but eventually granted him entry.
Q&A
Why did Russia criticize the US regarding a visa for Alexander Alimov?
Russia criticized the US for not granting a visa to Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Alimov, claiming it violates the 1947 agreement on diplomatic access for UN meetings.
What obligations does the US have regarding visas for UN diplomats?
The US is obligated to issue visas to foreign diplomats attending UN functions promptly and without charge, as per the 1947 agreement establishing the UN headquarters.
How does the visa denial impact Russia's representation at the UN?
The denial of the visa to Alimov means Russia was not represented by a key official overseeing UN matters, which Russia claims undermines its diplomatic presence and is a slight to the current chair, Beijing.
