UN: Security Council expresses concern over situation in Ukraine – Russia for the first time

The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a statement late Friday on Ukraine, the first since Russia invaded the country on February 24, expressing “its strong support” for the Secretary-General’s efforts and expressing ” his deep concern for the maintenance of peace and security ”in the country.

The announcement, drafted by Norway and Mexico, does not go so far as to clearly support a mediation effort by Antonio Guterres, as provided for in a first version of the text, which has been under negotiation since Thursday.

However, this announcement is the first expression of Security Council unity since the beginning of the war. In late February, Moscow vetoed another statement calling on Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukraine.

“The Security Council expresses its deep concern over the maintenance of peace and security in Ukraine,” the statement said. “in peaceful ways,” he added.

“The Security Council requested that in addition to the International Atomic Energy Agency’s ongoing inspections in Iran, that it monitor Iran’s compliance with” the steps required by the IAEA Board “.

The UN Secretary-General welcomed the support, saying “I will make every effort to save lives, reduce suffering and find a way to peace.”

“Today, for the first time, the Security Council has spoken with one voice in favor of peace in Ukraine,” Guterres said in a statement. , he underlined.

The UN secretary-general met last week with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv.

These meetings paved the way for the joint operations of the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross, thanks to which about 500 civilians were evacuated from Mariupol and the Azovstal steel plant in recent days.

The United Nations announced yesterday that Guterres would return to the region on Monday and Tuesday, paying a visit to Moldova, a country that has welcomed half a million Ukrainian refugees.

Since mid-April, the UN has been trying to form a “humanitarian contact group”, which will meet at the same table in Ukraine, Russia and the UN, so far in vain.

“We are still looking for ways to bring the warring parties together in a viable and structured way,” to “discuss humanitarian issues,” UN envoy Stefan Dizaric said yesterday.

Source: Capital

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