NEW YORK, MAY 5 – Briefing the Security Council on his shuttle diplomacy last week in Russia and Ukraine, Secretary-General António Guterres declared that he “did not mince words” during his meetings with Presidents Vladimir Putin and Volomydyr Zelenskyy, on the need to end the brutal conflict. “I said the same thing in Moscow as I did in Kyiv…Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is a violation of its territorial integrity and of the Charter of the United Nations,” he told the Council.
Food insecurity stemming from the war is high on the agenda of the intrenational community: “The war must end for the sake of the people of Ukraine, Russia, and the entire world…the cycle of death, destruction, dislocation and disruption must stop.” The UN will continue to scale up humanitarian operations, save lives and reduce suffering, assured the UN chief, adding that his meetings with both leaders also focused on worldwide food security.
“A meaningful solution to global food insecurity requires reintegrating Ukraine’s agricultural production and the food and fertilizer production of Russia and Belarus into world markets, despite the war,” he underscored.
The Ukraine war is also setting in motion “a crisis that is also devastating global energy markets, disrupting financial systems and exacerbating extreme vulnerabilities for the developing world,” said Mr. Guterres. “The war is senseless in its scope, ruthless in its dimensions and limitless in its potential for global harm. It is high time to unite and end this war,” the Secretary-General concluded.
The head of the UN humanitarian office (OCHA), Martin Griffiths, painted a grim picture of civilian infrastructure destroyed and over 13 million Ukrainians forced to flee their homes, uprooting lives and ripping apart families. He noted that the elderly and others who could not run, have been unable to seek shelter from bombs, get out to gather supplies or receive information on evacuations. And since the war began, threat of gender-based violence has risen with mounting allegations of sexual violence against women, girls, men and boys. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet informed the ambassadors of reports of international humanitarian and human rights law violations and the need for accountability. She explained that as allegations of violations continue to be verified, many may amount to war crimes. “It pains me to say that all our concerns remain valid, and the situation keeps deteriorating,” she stated.
While the invasion is now in its 71st day, the conflict has actually been going on for eight years. “Reports of deadly incidents, such as attacks on hospital No 3 and the drama theatre in Mariupol, on the railway station in Kramatorsk, on residential areas in Odesa, have become shockingly frequent,” said Ms. Bachelet. Rather than describing the “palpable trauma and shock” of the victims, she quoted relatives of those who perished in Maripoul. “He was killed in front of his wife and children”, said one witness. Another described a body of a loved one under the debris of her house, noting that they could not even bury her. A third witness described an uncle, “buried in a collective grave”. (@OnuItalia)
