Russia blocked from ICAO Council
At the 42nd Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in Montreal, Canada, Russia was not elected to the ICAO Council. As a result, Russia – which continues its aggression against Ukraine and violates international legal norms and agreements – is excluded from ICAO’s decision-making.
“The international community has once again made it clear that Russia, as an aggressor, cannot be part of the Council of the world’s leading civil aviation organization. We endorse and fully support this decision. Lithuania has consistently worked with its partners to ensure that repeated violations of aviation rules, which endanger flight safety, are not tolerated under any circumstances”, said Juras Taminskas, Minister of Transport and Communications of Lithuania.
This is the second time in history that Russia has failed to secure a seat on the ICAO Council. Three years ago, after launching its large-scale invasion of Ukraine, it was likewise not elected to the organization’s key governing body.
Before the vote, the ministers of transport of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia issued a joint appeal to ICAO Member States, emphasizing that Russia systematically violates international agreements, including the Chicago Convention. Russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine has led to the unlawful occupation, militarization, and destruction of Ukraine’s civil aviation infrastructure. Notably, Russia’s violations include the illegal re-registration of aircraft from foreign companies shortly after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Furthermore, the Baltic States expressed concern over GNSS signal interference through jamming and spoofing, as well as airspace violations originating from Russian territory. Such deliberate actions endanger civil aircraft, undermine navigational reliability, and violate ICAO’s commitment to the safety and security of international air operations, including critical phases of flight such as take-off and landing.
According to the ministers, Russia’s actions constitute fragrant and ongoing violations of ICAO provisions and pose a direct threat to global civil aviation safety and interference in the air navigation safety of other countries.
The ICAO Assembly, composed of 193 Member States, is expected to adopt a resolution this week condemning Russia for its repeated GNSS signal interference. Lithuania firmly supports this initiative and is pressing for ICAO Member States to unanimously denounce actions that threaten the safety and security of international civil aviation.
In June, amid the growing frequency of GPS interference in the Baltic Sea region, Lithuania and 13 other EU countries also submitted a joint letter to the European Commission.
The ICAO Assembly, held from 23 September to 3 October, takes place at least once every three years and is convened by ICAO’s governing body, the Council.
The 10 Member States elected to Part I of the ICAO Council, recognized as being of chief importance in air transport, are Australia, Canada, China, Japan, the United States, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Brazil.
For Part II of the ICAO Council, the elected Member States are Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa, Denmark, Spain, Switzerland, Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, India, and Singapore. Elections for Part III are scheduled to take place on 30 September 2025.
In addition to the Council elections, the Assembly discusses the mitigation of GNSS disruptions, air navigation and flight safety, aviation security, environmental protection, and the advancement of air transport.
Photo by ICAO
Last updated: 30-09-2025
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