Russia Presses to Rejoin ICAO Council as US, EU and Ukraine Urge Rejection

Overview

• Delegates at the ICAO Assembly in Montreal are set to elect new Council members later this week, a decision that will decide Russia’s bid to return after its 2022 ouster.
• U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy opposed Russia’s candidacy, citing GPS spoofing, repeated airspace violations, and safety risks tied to sanctions-restricted maintenance and parts.
• EU representatives said seating Russia would undermine ICAO’s credibility, noting the ICAO Council’s April conclusion that Russia was responsible for the 2014 MH17 downing, which Moscow has appealed to the ICJ.
• Ukraine urged member states to increase pressure on Russia and highlighted ongoing alleged violations the Assembly will examine, including dual aircraft registrations, invalid airworthiness certificates, and unauthorized certifications, as Russia remains under a “Significant Safety Concern” designation.
• Russia’s Foreign Ministry said it is not seeking relief but demanding ICAO act against what it calls unlawful unilateral restrictions, pointing to an Article 84 complaint against 37 states and a new Assembly paper arguing such measures harm civil aviation.