The primary actors involved are the government of Ukraine, which requested the emergency meeting, and the Russian Federation, which is the target of the request and holds a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. The UN Security Council itself is the institutional body responsible for maintaining international peace and security. Other key actors include the 15 member states of the Council, including the United States, which plays a central role in the diplomatic proceedings.

Ukraine has requested an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council following a series of Russian missile strikes that killed at least 20 civilians and wounded over 109 others. The request is based on the assertion that Russia is using its permanent seat to block the Council from fulfilling its mandate. Ukraine is seeking a formal discussion on the attacks, potential new sanctions, and increased international support for its air defense capabilities.

The emergency meeting is requested to take place at the UN Headquarters in New York. The missile strikes occurred across various locations in Ukraine, including Kyiv, which has been a frequent target of Russian ballistic missile attacks.

The request was made on October 30, 2026, following the latest wave of attacks. The Security Council is expected to deliberate on the request in the immediate aftermath, with the potential for a meeting to be scheduled shortly thereafter.

Ukraine's motivation is to secure international condemnation of the strikes and to pressure the Security Council to take concrete action, such as imposing tougher sanctions or providing more military aid. Russia's motivation, as stated in previous sessions, is to maintain its strategic objectives in the conflict and to use its veto power to prevent any resolutions that it deems contrary to its national security interests.

The process for convening an emergency meeting involves a formal request to the President of the Security Council, who then consults with other members to determine the timing and agenda. The Security Council operates under the UN Charter, which grants it the authority to investigate disputes and take action to maintain peace. However, the veto power held by the five permanent members (P5) often results in procedural gridlock when their interests are directly involved.