Russia failed to secure enough votes to regain a seat on the governing council of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United Nations agency responsible for global shipping safety, security, and pollution prevention.
The IMO Council election, held during the 34th Assembly in London, saw Russia fall short in its bid for a seat it previously lost in 2023. Russia had been a consistently re-elected member of the Council since 1958, and its failure to win a spot in the group designated for “states with the largest interest in providing international shipping services” was a striking diplomatic defeat. Russia was the only candidate rejected in this category, which includes countries like the US, China, and the UK.
The outcome is widely viewed as a diplomatic rebuke of Moscow stemming from its 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Ukraine actively campaigned against Russia’s candidacy, arguing that a country that attacks ports, destroys civilian maritime infrastructure, and operates a “shadow fleet” should not be allowed to set global maritime safety standards.
Russia’s Ministry of Transport condemned the vote as “highly politicised,” claiming the IMO was deviating from its impartial role. However, the result underscores Russia’s deepening isolation in international bodies, following previous election failures at the UN aviation agency (ICAO), UNESCO, and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). Ukrainian officials hailed the vote as a victory for international law, stating the global community has clearly shown the aggressor its place outside of civilized, democratic decision-making.
