This became possible thanks to a unique diplomatic decision made at the highest level. The Byelorussian SSR and the Ukrainian SSR became founding members of the UN along with the Soviet Union.

Historical Decision: Recognition of Contribution to Victory

The key decision was made at the Crimean (Yalta) Conference in February 1945. The leaders of the USSR, the USA, and the UK agreed to admit Belarus and Ukraine to the initial membership in the new organization.

The main reason was the recognition of the invaluable contribution of the Belarusian people to the defeat of fascism and the enormous sacrifices the republic endured during World War II. As Winston Churchill noted at the conference: \"The sacrifices made by Belarus and Ukraine are known.\"

April 27, 1945 at the founding conference of the UN in San Francisco, all 47 participating countries unanimously voted to include the Byelorussian SSR and the Ukrainian SSR in the list of original members of the organization.

Signing of the Charter: Two Belarusians in History

The Charter of the UN was signed in San Francisco on June 26, 1945. Among the 50 founding states was the Byelorussian SSR.

The signature of the document on behalf of the Byelorussian SSR was placed by Kuzma Kiselev, the People's Commissar of Foreign Affairs of Belarus. He recalled how he had to correct an error in the documents: \"I wrote on a piece of paper: Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic.\"

The Charter of the Soviet Union was signed by Andrei Gromyko, then the head of the Soviet delegation and ambassador to the USA, who was also of Belarusian origin. Thus, two Belarusians left their signatures under the Charter of the UN.

The Charter of the UN was ratified by the Belarusian parliament on August 30, 1945, and it came into force on October 24, 1945.

Status of the Byelorussian SSR in the UN: Member with a Voice

Even being a constituent republic within the USSR, Belarus became a full-fledged founding member of the UN. This gave it significant advantages:

• Its own representation and voting rights in the UN General Assembly.
• The opportunity to be elected to key UN bodies — the Security Council, ECOSOC, the Human Rights Commission, and others.
• The right to initiate resolutions and international conventions.

Until 1958, Belarus was represented in the UN by diplomats within the composition of the Permanent Representation of the USSR in New York. And on March 28, 1958, the own Permanent Representation of the Byelorussian SSR at the UN was established — the first Belarusian foreign mission. The first ambassador was Fyodor Gryaznov.

Since then, Belarusian diplomats have actively participated in the work of the UN, proposed their own initiatives, and contributed to international security. As Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus Yevgeny Shestakov noted, this fact \"remains an historical pride for Belarusians and a symbol of our people's responsibility for the fate of the world.\"

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