UN Secretary-General António Guterres and his delegation (left) meet the Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow on Tuesday.
UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, has reiterated the United Nations’ position on Ukraine and discussed proposals for humanitarian assistance and evacuation of civilians from conflict zones in relation to the situation in Mariupol.
Speaking in Moscow on Tuesday, he outlined proposals that would establish conditions to allow safe evacuation of civilians and delivery of desperately needed humanitarian aid, in both the Donbas and Mariupol.
The UN chief was in the Russian capital for talks with the country’s Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov.
He was also received by President Vladimir Putin.
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Guterres told newsmen after the meeting that he had held a very frank discussion with Lavrov, noting that there were two different positions on what was happening in Ukraine.
Russia said it was conducting a “special military operation” in Ukraine, while for the UN, the Feb. 24 invasion is a violation of the country’s territorial integrity and goes against the UN Charter.
“But it is my deep conviction that the sooner we end this war, the better – for the people of Ukraine, for the people of the Russian Federation, and those far beyond,” he said.
The secretary-general recalled that the UN had repeatedly appealed for a ceasefire to protect civilians, as well as political dialogue towards a solution, which so far has not happened.
Referring to the “violent battle” underway across the Donbas in eastern Ukraine, he noted that many civilians were being killed, and hundreds of thousands trapped by the conflict.
Guterres said repeated reports of violations, as well as possible war crimes, would require independent investigation for effective accountability.
“We urgently need humanitarian corridors that are truly safe and effective and that are respected by all to evacuate civilians and deliver much-needed assistance,” he said.
Speaking on the impact of the war, the secretary-general said some of the “shock waves” being felt across the globe, such as the “dramatic acceleration” in food and energy costs, were particularly affecting millions of the world’s most vulnerable people.
“This comes on top of the shock of the continued COVID-19 pandemic and uneven access to resources for recovery, which particularly penalize developing countries around the world.
“So, the sooner peace is established, the better – for the sake of Ukraine, Russia, and for the world.
“And it’s very important, even in this moment of difficulty, to keep alive the values of multilateralism,” he said.
The secretary-general will be in Ukraine on Thursday where he will have a working meeting with Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, and he will be received by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.