Peace and security of Ukraine | Under-Secretary-General Briefing | United Nations

Briefing by Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, on Maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine.

Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo said that the longer the war in Ukraine continues, “the greater the need for this global solidarity and support,” stressing that “attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure are prohibited by international law. They must stop immediately.”

DiCarlo today (18 Jun) briefed the Council on the situation in Ukraine.

She informed the Council that according to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), this May at least 174 civilians were killed and 690 injured in Ukraine. This is the highest number of civilian casualties in a single month since June last year. More than half of these casualties occurred in the Kharkiv region due to the Russian Federation ’s new offensive launched on 10 May, DiCarlo said.

The senior UN official for political affairs highlighted, “The large-scale attacks by the Russian Federation against energy infrastructure have reduced Ukraine’s energy generating capacity by 68 per cent.”

She added, “Periodic strikes imperiling the critical power supply to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant have also continued.”

DiCarlo reiterated, “Any attacks involving nuclear facilities are extremely dangerous and irresponsible. They must cease immediately.”

The Under-Secretary-General also said, “The 2024 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan is currently 27 per cent funded.”

She urged donors to sustain their generous financial support, “this will allow us to continue to deliver lifesaving assistance to the vulnerable population.”

This war has affected countries far beyond Ukraine’s borders, DiCarlo said.

She explained, “Over 80 percent of global trade is by sea. The Black Sea is a critical trade route estimated to account for over a quarter of grain trade. Much more needs to be done to mitigate risks, reduce transaction costs and brin g more stability in global agricultural markets.”

“The UN has, therefore, highlighted the importance of stabilizing critical trade routes for agricultural products,” the Under-Secretary-General concluded.

US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said, “We must urge Russia to come to the table ready for constructive, fair dialogue. But we must also ensure Ukraine is at the head of that table and in the strongest possible position. Any discussion about a negotiated settlement is as at its core, a discussion about Ukraine's future, a sovereign Ukraine should be the party leading these discussions, period. All of us would expect the same if we were in Ukraine's position.”

She also said, “we regret that, adding insult to injury, China released its own ‘peace plan’, one formulated without any buy in from Ukraine itself.”

Ambassador Greenfield continued, “If China is genuinely interested in supporting the peace process, we would welcome its help. It can start by ending its support to Russia's defense industrial base.”

She added, “Without the substantial quantities of machine tools, microelectronics, optics, and UAV and cruise missile technology provided by China, Russia would struggle to sustain this war of aggression.”

Chinese Ambassador Geng Shuang called on the United States to “work for an early end of the war and for the restoration of peace, rather than continuing to escalate the tensions, provoking camp-based confrontations and sabotaging international peace and solidarity.”

For his part, Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya said, “What added value can all these delegations bring to today's discussions? In six of them are at the same time both members of the EU and NATO, and they cannot say anything different from the EU and NATO position. Clearly no added value.”

Ambassador Nebenzya continued, “The only aim of their participation is to create a mass chorus of voices to promote the same politicized Brussels ideas. It is a clear waste of the valuable resources of the Council.”

He concluded, “We have said this on many occasions it is counterproductive. It undermines the authority of the Security Council.”

Ukrainian Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya reiterated, “Ukraine will never, and I repeat, never be an object of someone else's plans. it is not 1938, either here or outside this chamber.”

He continued, “The joint communique of the Summit in Switzerland has been opened for joining by all UN member states. We call on all peace-loving nations to join the strong group of those Member States and international organizations who have already supported this document, thus contributing to upholding the UN Charter and its principles, underlying a comprehensive, just and lasting peace for Ukraine as envisaged by the UN General Assembly Resolution.”