Russia - impolite to begin U.N. chief race without Ukraine, others

The United Nations headquarters is lit up in blue to honor the 70th anniversary of the United Nations in New York, October 23, 2015. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Russia said on Tuesday it does not want to offend Ukraine and other recently elected United Nations Security Council members by officially launching the race for a new secretary-general before the Jan. 1 start of their council terms.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, a former South Korean foreign minister, is due to step down at the end of 2016 after serving two five-year terms. The job traditionally rotates between regions, with Eastern Europe next on the list.