UNITED NATIONS: United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Sunday urged a peace deal for Ukraine that fully respects the country’s territorial integrity, ahead of a key UN vote.
“I reaffirm the urgent need for a just, sustainable and comprehensive peace -– one that fully upholds Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders,” Guterres said in a statement.
The UN Security Council vote will be on a US-backed draft resolution that makes no mention of Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
“Monday 24 February marks three years since the Russian Federation launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, in clear violation of the United Nations Charter and international law,” the UN chief said.
“Eighty years after the end of the Second World War, the war in Ukraine stands as a grave threat not only to the peace and security of Europe but also to the very foundations and core principles of the United Nations,” Guterres said.
He saluted “all efforts towards achieving a just and inclusive peace.”
The statement comes as US President Donald Trump has intensified efforts to end the war.
The United States wants the Security Council and General Assembly to vote on a short text calling for a “swift end” to the devastating conflict, while making no mention of Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described it as “a simple, historic resolution … that we urge all member states to support in order to chart a path to peace,” in a statement released late Friday.
The draft US resolution, cited by CNN, does not condemn Russia, nor does it make any acknowledgement of Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
“This resolution is consistent with President Trump’s view that the UN must return to its founding purpose, as enshrined in the UN Charter, to maintain international peace and security, including through the peaceful settlement of disputes,” Rubio’s statement said.
“If the United Nations is truly committed to its original purpose, we must acknowledge that while challenges may arise, the goal of lasting peace remains achievable,” the top US diplomat said.
“Through support of this resolution, we affirm that this conflict is awful, that the UN can help end it, and that peace is possible.”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Chinese counterpart Wang Yi meet on the sidelines of a G20 gathering in Johannesburg on February 20.
Ukraine and its European allies are seeking a vote in the General Assembly on a text that repeats earlier demands for an immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine and an end to Russia’s attacks on its neighbour.
Similar resolutions have been voted on since the war started on February 24, 2022, and each has passed the General Assembly by overwhelming majorities, with support from the US administration of then president Joe Biden.
