Russia has failed in its bid to regain a seat on the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) 36-member governing council. This came following a vote at the United Nations aviation body’s assembly in Montreal. Russia secured 87 votes, but fell short of the 93 it would have required to return to the council after its 2022 ouster following its invasion of Ukraine.
The governing council plays a key role in setting global safety standards for civil aviation. Following Saturday’s outcome, a Russian delegate called for a new vote, which the assembly rejected.
Russia’s Transport Ministry later said the decision “damages the authority and effectiveness of the organization,” adding the ICAO should act “on the basis of broad international consensus, not narrow political interests.”
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told Reuters ahead of the vote that Russia remained “the most aggressive abuser and violator of international agreements and international norms.”
The ICAO council has also cited concerns over interference with navigation signals from satellite systems, charges Moscow denies. Russia, meanwhile, pointed to growing support from BRICS partners and countries in Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia, claiming they “represent the interests of the overwhelming majority of the planet’s population.”
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