United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, António Guterres, on Wednesday, called for a ceasefire, dialogue and negotiations to save the people in Ukraine and beyond from the scourge of war.
Guterres told a UN General Assembly (UNGA) session dedicated to the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine that there was no place for actions and statements that would take this dangerous situation over the abyss.
According to him, the world is facing “a moment of peril”, calling for restraint, reason and de-escalation.
He also encouraged all parties to make full use of Article 33 of the UN Charter and its “diverse instruments of pacific settlement of disputes.”
The Secretary-General described the latest development as “a cause of grave concern,” including reports of increased ceasefire violations across the contact line and “the real risk of further escalation on the ground”.
While acknowledging that the history of the conflict is complex, he underscored that in the present situation one thing is clear.
“The decision of the Russian Federation to recognise the so-called ‘independence’ of Donetsk and Luhansk regions – and the follow-up – are violations of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine and inconsistent with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations,” he said.
Guterres emphasised that Russia’s actions were also inconsistent with the Declaration on Principles of International Law Concerning Friendly Relations – a landmark resolution adopted by the assembly more than half a century ago.
The so-called Friendly Relations Declaration sets out several vital principles that are “highly relevant” to today’s session, he reminded the member states.
The UN chief highlighted the principle of sovereign equality of states, affirming that their territorial integrity and political independence are inviolable.
“Other General Assembly resolutions are also fully behind the sovereignty, political independence, and territorial integrity of Ukraine, within its internationally recognised borders,” he said.
The UN chief continued by describing the Minsk Agreements – the fragile peace process regulating the conflict in eastern Ukraine – as surviving “in an intensive care unit thanks to a number of life support devices.
“But now those devices have been disconnected,” he said.
Guterres also flagged the need to preserve the integrity of peacekeeping, which he spelled out only takes place “with the consent of the host country”.
Through its human rights and humanitarian work, the organisation continues to support the Ukrainian people.
“Our Human Rights Monitoring Mission has seven offices throughout the country – on both sides of the contact line – documenting civilian casualties, monitoring freedom of movement, and reporting on allegations of human rights violations,” the top UN Official said.
Flagging that UN humanitarian operations are “independent of whoever might control the territory where people are living”, he pointed out that even before this latest escalation, two million Ukrainians had needed humanitarian assistance.
“Since the start of 2022 alone, we and our partners have delivered 140 metric tons of life-saving aid across the contact line,” he said.
UN humanitarian assistance is guided by the four principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence – all central to establishing and maintaining access to affected people, including those in the context of an armed conflict.
“Our humanitarian agencies are committed to staying and delivering to support the people in Ukraine and are ready to adjust and reprioritise their operations as necessary,” he said.
Noting that during conflict, civilians, including women and children, always suffer first and most, the UN chief warned that if the conflict in Ukraine expands, “the world could see a scale and severity of need unseen for many years”.
“I urge all sides to allow safe and unimpeded access by humanitarian agencies, including in non-Government controlled areas of eastern Ukraine,” he said.
He also urged all parties to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law.
In addition, the secretary-general reiterated his full commitment to supporting all efforts to “resolve this crisis without further bloodshed”, offering his good offices.
“We cannot and will not relent in the search for a peaceful solution,” he said.
