At a meeting of the UN Security Council in New York, Secretary-General António Guterres delivered a speech on the situation in Ukraine. He recalled that Russia's full-scale war has been going on for more than three and a half years, causing civilian casualties and destroying critical infrastructure every day. This is reported by UNN.
Details
Attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure are prohibited by international law. They must stop now
According to the Secretary-General, since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, more than 14,000 civilians, including hundreds of children, have been confirmed dead. More than 36,000 have been injured. He warned that recent months have been among the bloodiest for civilians since Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Of particular concern are the strikes on energy infrastructure, which, according to Guterres, could plunge millions of Ukrainians "into darkness and cold on the eve of the fourth winter of the war." He also recalled the danger posed by the situation at the Zaporizhzhia NPP.
The UN Secretary-General called for intensified diplomatic efforts.
We cannot afford to lose the current, fragile diplomatic momentum. The longer this war continues, the more devastating its consequences will be for everyone. I once again call for a comprehensive and sustainable ceasefire that will pave the way for a just and lasting peace
He noted the importance of recent negotiations, particularly in Istanbul, where an agreement was reached on the exchange of prisoners of war and the issue of abducted children was raised.
Guterres emphasized that the United Nations "remains fully mobilized" to provide humanitarian assistance and support peace initiatives. He called on all member states to act in accordance with the UN Charter and resolve international disputes by peaceful means.
Recall
At the opening of the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, Secretary-General António Guterres drew special attention to diplomatic initiatives aimed at resolving the war in Ukraine.
In New York, the 80th session of the UN General Assembly took place the day before, bringing together about a hundred presidents and more than 40 prime ministers from around the world.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaking at a meeting of the UN Security Council in New York, called on the organization's member states to unite efforts to force Russia to take steps towards peace and stop aggression against Ukraine.