Accusation of enemy state from Russia to Germany, Italy and Japan

Russia’s Foreign Ministry criticized Germany, Italy and Japan for voting against a Russia-submitted draft resolution in the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee, saying their stance shows that debate over removing “enemy state” language from the UN Charter is premature. The dispute centers on Cold War-era clauses that still label the three countries as former adversaries, a symbolic issue Moscow is using to press its case at the UN. The ministry’s statement signals continued friction with Berlin, Rome and Tokyo over how the charter’s historical language should be treated. Watch for whether the resolution advances to the General Assembly and whether the three governments respond to Moscow’s characterization of their votes.