Sign up for our daily briefing
Make your busy days simpler with Axios AM/PM. Catch up on what's new and why it matters in just 5 minutes.
Stay on top of the latest market trends
Subscribe to Axios Markets for the latest market trends and economic insights. Sign up for free.
Sports news worthy of your time
Binge on the stats and stories that drive the sports world with Axios Sports. Sign up for free.
Tech news worthy of your time
Get our smart take on technology from the Valley and D.C. with Axios Login. Sign up for free.
Get the inside stories
Get an insider's guide to the new White House with Axios Sneak Peek. Sign up for free.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Want a daily digest of the top Denver news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Want a daily digest of the top Des Moines news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Want a daily digest of the top Twin Cities news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Twin Cities
Want a daily digest of the top Tampa Bay news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa Bay
Want a daily digest of the top Charlotte news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Charlotte
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein. Photo: Fabrice Coffrini / AFP via Getty Images
Russia used a procedural vote on Monday to prevent UN Human Rights Commissioner Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein from presenting on human rights conditions in Syria to the UN Security Council (UNSC).
Why it matters: To date, Russia has vetoed nine resolutions aimed at intensifying pressure on Syria’s Bashar al-Assad, moves that not only counter U.S. interests but undermine the international system.
Turkey’s actions have driven a wedge between Turkey and the U.S., which partners with Syrian Kurds against ISIS. Russia has exacerbated the situation by allowing Turkey’s jihadist proxies to enter the city of Afrin in northern Syria, where they have threatened Kurds with beheading and committed other atrocities. Since Russia has bases in Afrin and controls the air space, nothing happens in the area without its acquiescence.
What's next: Britain, France and other countries sympathetic to the Syrian people should call on the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court to investigate criminal liability on the parts of Russia, Syria and Turkey. There are ways to work around Russia’s obstruction, including the Arria formula — named after Venezuelan diplomat Diego Arria — which allows a UNSC member to convene a meeting in an adjoining chamber when the Council is unwilling or unable to do so.
The bottom line: Trump refuses to criticize Vladimir Putin and ignores human rights issues. Absent U.S. moral leadership, other countries should take the lead to strengthen the international system and restore ethics in international affairs.
David L. Phillips is director of the Program on Peace-building and Rights at Columbia University and a former senior adviser to both the UN Secretariat and the U.S. Department of State.