Ukraine-Russia conflict: UN calls for immediate ceasefire, says civilians must be protected

The United Nations on Monday called for an immediate ceasefire by all parties involved in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. UN secretary general António Guterres said there was a need for exercising maximum restraint and initiating dialogue. “Diplomacy and dialogue must prevail,” he said at the 11th Emergency Special Session on the ongoing crisis.

“Escalating violence is resulting in civilians’ death. Enough is enough. Soldiers need to move back to barracks. Civilians must be protected,” Guterres said. The special session began with a minute of silence.

“Humanitarian aid is vital, it’s not a solution, the only solution is through peace… I have assured the Ukraine President that UN will continue to assist, will not abandon them, will provide them with humanitarian assistance,” Guterres further said.

The Ukraine representative to UN said so far 352 people, including 16 children, were killed in his country during the ongoing conflict. “These numbers are growing nonstop, shelling continues.”

“We demand Russia unconditionally withdraws its forces and full compliance with international humanitarian law,” he said, adding Russian troops were also suffering and had already lost over a thousand of its troops.

Russia’s envoy to the UN said Moscow had no plans to occupy Ukraine. “Action plans were being made by Ukraine and Georgia to join NATO. Their (US) policy was to create anti-Russia Ukraine and ensured that it joined NATO. Ukraine joining NATO is a red line, compels us to adopt measures in response. It has placed us at the verge of this conflict

A meeting between representatives of Kyiv and Moscow was currently underway in the Belarusian town of Gomel even as heavy fighting continued in cities and suburbs of Ukraine. Kyiv had earlier demanded an ‘immediate ceasefire’ and the withdrawal of Russian troops from its territory ahead of the negotiation.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian authorities said at least 44 people were wounded in fighting in Ukraine’s second-largest city of Kharkiv, and seven of them died in hospitals.

While the Russian military has consistently denied targeting residential areas despite abundant evidence of shelling of residential buildings, schools and hospitals.