On Saturday, Russia was denied re-election to the United Nations Aviation Agency's governing council. This was a victory for Western nations that wanted to hold Moscow responsible for its invasion of Ukraine.
During the meeting of the organization, which is taking place in Montreal through October 7th, Russia fell short of receiving the votes required to remain on the 36-nation governing council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
On Saturday, a review of the voting procedures was launched due to a Russian appeal for an extra vote. The circumstances were "unique," according to assembly president and director general of civil aviation Poppy Khoza.
The French delegate informed the audience, "When we have voted in our nations if we don't like the result, we don't call for another vote."
The 36-member ICAO council included Russia, the G7, China, Brazil, and Australia as "states of major significance in air transport."
The Russian delegate remarked, "We'd want to convey our disappointment over the election result. We believe this is merely a political move that has nothing to do with Russia's role in civil aviation.
Following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, sanctions targeting its aviation industry prompted Russia to exclude airlines from 36 nations, including all 27 members of the European Union.
The West accuses Russia of forcibly seizing hundreds of foreign aircraft, a claim Moscow refutes.
Before the vote, Canada and Europe said that they would vote against Russia being re-elected to the council.
Russia must be held accountable, Canada's transport minister Omar Alghabra told Reuters this week.
The First ICAO meeting after the COVID-19 epidemic and Ukraine conflict, the 193-nation gathering is conducted every three years.