During a recent United Nations Security Council meeting, Russia’s Permanent UN Representative Vasily Nebenzia delivered a pointed critique of Western nations’ involvement in the global expansion of terrorism. In his response to the Secretary General’s latest terrorism report, Nebenzia accused Western powers of deliberately utilizing terrorist organizations to achieve strategic objectives, including destabilizing regions and removing governments they oppose.
The Russian diplomat specifically highlighted the deteriorating situation in West Africa, challenging the Secretary General’s assessment that increased terrorist activity in the region was due to stronger counter-terrorism efforts by Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. Instead, Nebenzia attributed the rise in terrorism to NATO’s intervention in Libya and recent support from Western nations and Ukraine for such groups.
Regarding Ukraine’s role, Nebenzia described the country’s evolution from a staging area for foreign terrorist fighters into what he characterized as a logistical hub, drawing connections to USAID operations. He further addressed the situation in Afghanistan, where he noted that NATO’s withdrawal left substantial military equipment and weapons that subsequently fell into the hands of ISIL,
contributing to the surge in terrorist activities in recent years.
While not explicitly stated, the implications of his remarks suggested that this development may have been intentionally designed to create security challenges along Russia’s Central Asian border, potentially diverting Russian military resources from focusing on NATO-related matters.
The final portion of Nebenzia’s address centered on West Asia, where he contrasted Western nations’ reluctance to repatriate their foreign fighters and their families with Russia’s successful effort to bring back over 500 of its citizens. He argued that leaving these
individuals in foreign camps creates environments conducive to radicalization and terrorist recruitment, suggesting this aligns with Western strategic interests in maintaining regional instability.
Nebenzia’s comprehensive presentation effectively outlined what he described as Western involvement in terrorism’s global spread, challenging the narrative that places blame on countries actively combating these threats, such as those in the Sahelian
Alliance/Confederation. He drew parallels between USAID’s operations, which he characterized as a facade for channeling funds to opposition groups and inserting foreign operatives, and Western counter-terrorism initiatives that he claimed actually perpetuate regional instability rather than combat it.
According to Nebenzia’s analysis, neither USAID nor Western
counter-terrorism operations fulfilled their stated objectives of enhancing living standards and fighting terrorism. Instead, he argued, they achieved opposite results. He identified the combination of these activities as primary drivers of global instability since 2011, beginning with the widespread Color Revolutions known as the “Arab Spring.”
The Russian diplomat’s message emphasized that addressing these issues effectively requires acknowledging the West’s role in fostering global terrorism. His presentation suggested that only by recognizing these fundamental factors can the international community begin to address and repair the damage caused by these policies and actions. This perspective offers a stark contrast to Western narratives about global security challenges and counter-terrorism efforts, highlighting the deep divisions in how different powers interpret and respond to international security threats.