The United Nations will seek a “humanitarian ceasefire” between Russia and Ukraine and intends to send its deputy secretary general in charge of humanitarian affairs to Moscow and Kyiv, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was quoted as saying by France-Presse.
Speaking at a news conference at UN headquarters in New York, Guterres said he “asked Martin Griffiths (Deputy Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs) to immediately discuss with the parties to the conflict the possibility of agreements and arrangements for a humanitarian ceasefire in Ukraine.”
Asked by reporters about the practical side of Griffiths’ task, Guterres said his deputy would return from Kabul, where he is now, and said: “I hope he can visit both Moscow and Kyiv as soon as possible.”
The UN secretary-general condemned the fact that “since the Russian invasion began a month ago, the war has killed thousands of people, displaced 10 million people, mostly women and children, and systematically destroyed critical infrastructure” in Ukraine. “It must stop,” the diplomat said.
Guterres also called for an immediate ceasefire for humanitarian reasons to ensure the progress of serious political talks aimed at reaching a peace agreement based on the principles of the UN Charter, according to Reuters.
Last Thursday, the UN General Assembly, by an overwhelming majority of 140 votes, passed a new non-binding resolution calling on Russia to immediately stop its aggression against Ukraine.
Today, Ukrainian authorities were alarmed by the deteriorating situation in the besieged city of Mariupol, which has already killed at least 5,000 people, ahead of new talks between Russian and Ukrainian negotiators in Istanbul.