Ukraine’s First Deputy Foreign Minister and former UN representative Serhii Kyslytsia publicly criticized the United Nations General Assembly’s recent decision to establish an International Day of the Horse, questioning the organization’s priorities amid global challenges.

According to Kyslytsia, who posted his criticism on social media platform X, the UN’s focus on such initiatives demonstrates a disconnect from pressing international issues.

He referenced Ukrainian author Mykhailo Kotsyubynsky’s literary work “Horses are not to blame,” noting that the phrase represents “hypocritical unwillingness to see the real culprits, to remove blame from the guilty.”

The Ukrainian diplomat drew a sharp contrast between the horse initiative and the resistance Ukraine faced when attempting to establish a Day against Disinformation over several years, with the UN officials claiming there were already enough such commemorative days.

“I recall what resistance the Ukrainian delegation faced when it tried for several years to advance the initiative to establish a Day against Disinformation,” Kyslytsia stated.

Despite this previous opposition, Kyslytsia noted that “an endless stream of flora and fauna days rushes through the thickets,” suggesting the UN continues to approve nature-related observances while rejecting what Ukraine considers more urgent initiatives as the country fights Russia on the front line and in the information space. 

The resolution for the International Day of Horses was proposed by Mongolia. Kyslytsia pointed to what he characterized as inconsistency in Mongolia’s international legal obligations, noting that the country failed to arrest Russian President Vladimir Putin during his September 2024 visit, despite having ratified the Rome Statute which would have required such action.

While Mongolia has not actively supported Russia’s full-scale invasion, it has also refrained from condemning Russia at the United Nations, reflecting a policy of neutrality in the conflict. The country imports 95% of its petroleum products and over 20% of its electricity from Russia, making it heavily dependent on its northern neighbor for energy.

Mongolia is also geographically sandwiched between Russia and China and has close historical and economic ties with Russia, including a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

In response to the horse day resolution, Kyslytsia announced he would recommend that Foreign Ministry departments handling UN affairs “clarify our approaches to supporting similar initiatives in the future.” He expressed concern about reinforcing the UN’s image as an “organization irrelevant to its primary mandate.” Only the US voted against the horse resolution.