Time to end absurd war in Ukaraine: António Guterres

By Deepak Arora

UNITED NATIONS, March 22: It’s time for a diplomatic solution to be found to end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, amidst signs of hope that progress can be made to end an “unwinnable” and “indefensible” war, said the UN chief on Tuesday.

António Guterres briefed journalists outside the Security Council, telling them from his own outreach efforts with “various actors”, “elements of diplomatic progress are coming into view on several key issues.”

He said there was “enough on the table” for an immediate ceasefire, and the start of serious talks to stop the slaughter in Ukrainian cities such as Mariupol.

“This war is unwinnable”, he said, in a stark message to Russia. “Sooner or later, it will have to move from the battlefield to the peace table. This is inevitable.

“The only question is: How many more lives must be lost?

“How many more bombs must fall? How many more Mariupols must be destroyed? How many more Ukrainians and Russians will be killed before everyone realizes that this war has no winners - only losers?”

Continuing the fighting, Guterres said, was “morally unacceptable, politically indefensible and militarily nonsensical.”

He reminded that Russia launched its invasion a month ago, in violation of the UN Charter, after months of military buildup. Since then, it has inflicted “appalling human suffering and destruction in cities, towns and villages. Systematic bombardments that terrorized civilians. The shelling of hospitals, schools, apartment buildings and shelters.”

But the reality for Russia, he added, is that “the war is going nowhere, fast. For more than two weeks, Mariupol has been encircled by the Russian army and relentlessly bombed, shelled and attacked. For what? Even if Mariupol falls”, he warned, “Ukraine cannot be conquered city by city, street by street, house by house.

The only outcome would be more suffering, he said.

“The Ukrainian people are enduring a living hell – and the reverberations are being felt worldwide with skyrocketing food, energy and fertilizer prices threatening to spiral into a global hunger crisis”, the UN chief added.

He repeated his concern that developing countries - after just a month of brutal fighting in one of the world’s grain producing breadbaskets, and already suffocating under the burden of COVID and inadequate financing - were already suffering economic shocks worldwide.

“What I said from this podium almost one month ago should be even more evident today. By any measure – by even the shrewdest calculation - it is time to stop the fighting and give peace a chance.

“It is time to end this absurd war.”

Ten million have fled their homes in Ukraine: UN

UNITED NATIONS, March 20: Ten million people -- more than a quarter of the population -- have now fled their homes in Ukraine due to Russia's "devastating" war, the United Nations refugees chief said Sunday.

"Among the responsibilities of those who wage war, everywhere in the world, is the suffering inflicted on civilians who are forced to flee their homes," said UNHCR chief Filippo Grandi.

"The war in Ukraine is so devastating that 10 million have fled either displaced inside the country, or as refugees abroad."

UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, said Sunday that 3,389,044 Ukrainians had left since the Russian invasion began on February 24, with another 60,352 joining the exodus since Saturday's update -- a flow roughly the same as the day before.

Some 90 percent of those who have fled are women and children. Ukrainian men aged 18 to 60 are eligible for military call-up and cannot leave.

UNICEF, the UN children's agency, said more than 1.5 million children are among those who have fled abroad, warning that the risks they face of human trafficking and exploitation are "real, and growing".

The UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM) also said that as of Wednesday, 162,000 third-country nationals had fled Ukraine to neighbouring states.

Millions more have fled their homes but remain within Ukraine's borders.

Some 6.48 million people were estimated to be internally displaced within Ukraine as of Wednesday, according to UN and related agencies, following an IOM representative survey.

UNHCR initially estimated that up to four million people could leave Ukraine.

Before the conflict, Ukraine had a population of 37 million in the regions under government control, excluding Russia-annexed Crimea and the pro-Russian separatist regions in the east.

India Backs Ban Of Biological Weapons At UN Security Council

UNITED NATIONS, March 19: India at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) advocated the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) saying that it is important to ensure its implementation in letter and spirit.

India noted the remarks made by the UN Under-Secretary-General of Disarmament Affairs, Izumi Nakamitsu regarding biological activities relating to Ukraine and said that "India attaches high importance to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) as a key global and non-discriminatory disarmament Convention, prohibiting an entire category of weapons of mass destruction."

R Ravindra, Deputy Permanent Representative at UNSC briefing said, "It is important to ensure full and effective implementation of the BTWC in letter and spirit. We also believe that any matter relating to obligations under the BTWC should be addressed as per the provisions of the Convention and through consultations and cooperation between the parties concerned."

Expressing concern over the ongoing situation in Ukraine, India added that it welcomes the latest round of diplomatic talks between the Russian Federation and Ukraine.

"As outlined yesterday, India remains deeply concerned at the progressively deteriorating situation in Ukraine. We welcome the latest round of diplomatic talks between the Russian Federation and Ukraine," the Indian diplomat said.

India reiterated the need for dialogue and diplomacy. Permanent Representative of India to the UN TS Tirumurti said, "We believe that immediate cessation of hostilities and diligently pursuing the path of dialogue and diplomacy is the only way forward."

"We need to undertake this engagement keeping in mind the need to respect the principles of the UN Charter, international law and sovereignty and territorial integrity of States," he added.

Russia had started a special military operation in Ukraine on February 24 in response to calls from the Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics for protection against intensifying attacks by Ukrainian troops.

The Russian Defence Ministry said the special operation was only targeting Ukrainian military infrastructure and the civilian population was not in danger. Moscow has repeatedly said it has no plans to occupy Ukraine. Western nations have imposed numerous sanctions on Russia.

Earlier in March, the Russian Defense Ministry unveiled new findings after analyzing documents obtained from experts from Ukrainian laboratories.

Igor Kirillov, the chief of the Russian armed forces' radiation, chemical, and biological defence, said that Pentagon created a network of over 30 biological laboratories in Ukrainian territory.

According to Kirillov, the United States removed all materials necessary for further research from Ukraine after the beginning of Russia's special military operation. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Moscow may launch a consultation mechanism under the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) to discuss Washington's non-compliance with the document.

However, a US Defense Department official denied the accusations saying the United States is not assisting Ukraine with biological weapons in its war with Russia and there are no indications that biological weapons are being used by Ukraine.

International Court of Justice orders Russia to cease military operations in Ukraine

THE HAGUE, March 16: The United Nations' top court for disputes between states ordered Russia on Wednesday to immediately halt its military operations in Ukraine, saying it was "profoundly concerned" by Moscow's use of force.

Although the rulings of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) are binding, it has no direct means of enforcing them, and in rare cases in the past countries have ignored them.

"The Russian Federation shall immediately suspend the military operations that it commenced on Feb 24, 2022 on the territory of Ukraine," the ICJ judges said in a 13-2 decision.

They added that Russia must also ensure that other forces under its control or supported by Moscow should not continue the military operation.

Ukraine filed its case at the ICJ shortly after Russia's invasion began on Feb. 24, saying that Moscow's stated justification, that it was acting to prevent a genocide in eastern Ukraine, was unfounded.

In addition to disputing the grounds for the invasion, Kyiv also asked for emergency "provisional" measures against Russia to halt the violence before the case was heard in full. Those measures were granted on Wednesday.

During hearings earlier this month, Ukraine said there was no threat of genocide in eastern Ukraine, and that the U.N.'s 1948 Genocide Convention, which both countries have signed, does not allow an invasion to prevent one.

Ukrainian government forces have been battling Russia-backed separatists in the Donbass region of eastern Ukraine since 2014. Kyiv and its Western allies reject Moscow's claims of any genocide being perpetrated against Russian speakers there.

Russia said it had skipped the hearings at the ICJ, also known as the World Court, "in light of the apparent absurdity of the lawsuit". It later filed a written document arguing that the court should not impose any measures.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Wednesday welcomed the ruling by the ICJ on emergency mesaures as "a complete victory" in its case against Russia.

"The (ICJ) order is binding under international law. Russia must comply immediately. Ignoring the order will isolate Russia even further," Zelenskiy said on Twitter.

Reading out Wednesday's ruling, presiding judge Joan Donoghue said the court was "profoundly concerned about the use of force by the Russian Federation in Ukraine which raises very serious issues of international law".

World must unite in face of Russia’s ‘violation of international law’: António Guterres

By Deepak Arora

UNITED NATIONS, March 10: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine compels Member States of the United Nations to unite in “cooperation and solidarity” to support all those impacted “and to overcome this violation of international law” said Secretary-General António Guterres on Thursday, addressing the General Assembly in New York.

The UN chief was speaking at a meeting on enhancing international cooperation – part of the landmark Our Common Agenda blueprint for multilateralism and collective action going forward, launched last year.

It was the fifth and final Assembly-led consultation, and Guterres thanked all Member States for their “constructive and active engagement” together with all other stakeholders who have contributed to the themed discussions.

Peace is the most important global public good and the United Nations was created to deliver it”, he said, noting that the meeting was taking place in the shadow of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“War brings death, human suffering and unimaginable destruction, at a time when we cannot afford to add to the major global challenges we face.

“This conflict also calls on us to come together in cooperation and solidarity to support everyone affected, and to overcome this violation of international law”, he added.

Guterres said if we are to bequeath “a world free from want and fear, and full of opportunities to fulfil their potential, we must urgently focus on building and strengthening the foundations of the multilateral system.”

Amidst a “five-alarm fire”, that threatens to break the world apart, countries gathered in the gilded Assembly Hall, “must rise to the “enormous historical responsibility” of coming together.

He said the Common Agenda had been a contribution towards finding solutions, but it was up to Member States now, to take its proposals forward.

“But make no mistake: solutions are essential, and urgent. We must take the difficult decisions that will enable us to move forward.”

With Ukraine’s desperate plight, the state of multilateral cooperation has assumed even greater importance, said the UN chief.

“We have been brought back to the foundational promise of the United Nations Charter, to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war. Many people around the world are asking how this could happen in the 21st century.

“How are we still staring into the nuclear abyss, as millions of people flee across borders and the most fundamental tenets of international law are trampled?”

He said global governance systems needed to be reviewed urgently, with the conflict raising “serious global implications on several fronts.”

First, it will stretch humanitarian funding even thinner, increasing the suffering of many of the most vulnerable.

“Second, it could indirectly increase global hunger. Ukraine is one of the world’s biggest sources of grain, the Russian Federation is second, and the conflict could cause prices to spike.

“Third, this conflict is deeply linked with the climate crisis, demonstrating how our continued reliance on fossil fuels puts the global economy and energy security at the mercy of geopolitical shocks”, he added.

He said rising energy and food prices would hit the developing world hardest, as pandemic aftershocks and rising inflation – together with interest rates – were already hampering development.

“Improving international cooperation must look at all non-traditional threats, together with cyber warfare, disinformation campaigns, the threats from weapons of mass destruction, and more”, added the Secretary-General.

He said the Common Agenda report was “a wake-up call about the risks we face and the dangerous fiction that the status quo is a viable option. But you don’t need to read my report to wake up. You just need to look around.

“The climate crisis has passed the point of no return - even though we had plenty of warning and could have acted earlier. Much of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic could have been prevented or mitigated. Instead, millions of people have died, hunger and poverty are rising, and the economic impact of the pandemic is still playing out.

He told delegates that a multi-faceted war was now “raging in the heart of Europe, in violation of the United Nations Charter.

“We need a serious effort to improve global governance, manage risks and safeguard the global commons and global public goods.

This is not only about the United Nations, or any other institution. It is about working together to solve our biggest problems, through existing structures if they are fit for purpose, and new or reinvigorated frameworks where needed.”

He said it was time to seek concrete recommendations to make global governance better, and announced a new High-Level Advisory Board on Global Public Goods, to be led by former President of Liberia Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and former Prime Minister of Sweden, Stefan Löfven.

Without duplicating other efforts, and building on Our Common Agenda, as well as on the consultations undertaken during the UN75 process and the preparation of the report - and the consultations led by the President of the General Assembly - he said the Board would “consider governance gaps, emerging priorities and levels of urgency” leading towards the proposed intergovernmental Summit of the Future, in September 2023.

He said the Summit “would be an opportunity for leaders to commit to move away from the dangerous course we are on, through multilateral cooperation, based on the values enshrined in the United Nations Charter.

“The outcome of the summit could be a Pact for the Future, turbocharging the 2030 Agenda, the Paris Agreement and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda.

While it will be for Member States to decide what is included in such a pact, he said, the Common Agenda report proposes several elements:

First, a new Agenda for Peace, that would unite us around a common vision of peace and security in the face of new threats and vulnerabilities.

Second, a Global Digital Compact aimed at ensuring digital technology is a force for human wellbeing, solidarity and progress.

Third, key principles for the peaceful and sustainable use of Outer Space.

Fourth, the protocols around an Emergency Platform, which would enable us to more effectively manage global risks.

And fifth, a Declaration outlining our promise to take account of the interests and needs of future generations in the decisions we take today, and mechanisms to do so.

The UN chief stressed all the proposals “are not about creating new bureaucracies. They are about Member States coming together to define the issues of concern that require governance improvements.

“The starting point needs to be respect for and compliance with international law; its progressive development; the strengthening of existing institutions and frameworks; and the engagement of all.

“Ultimately, our efforts are aimed not only at averting catastrophe, but improving the lives and prospects of billions of people who are left behind: children who have missed years of schooling; women whose precarious livelihoods have disappeared; refugees and migrants forced on dangerous journeys.

“The next steps depend on decisions by you, as Member States.”

‘Historic inflection point’: Assembly President

In his remarks, General Assembly President Abdulla Shahid, described the moment as an “historic inflection point”, noting the words of the 75th anniversary Political Declaration, that “our world is not yet the world that our founders envisaged 75 years ago. It is plagued by growing inequality, poverty, hunger, armed conflicts, terrorism, insecurity, climate change and pandemics.”

It was up to the countries in the room, to find a path back to “strong multilateralism”, he said, “one based on the principles of diplomacy and international cooperation, and best placed to meet the challenges of our time peacefully and effectively.

“We need resolute leadership that will help us change course and embark on a better path. A path where we recommit to the highest ideals of multilateralism and rediscover our common bonds of humanity.”

He said a stronger United Nations was critical. “As we strengthen international cooperation to meet our common objectives, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development must remain our guiding compass.

“We must embrace the interlinks between sustainable development, peace, and human rights. Through strengthening the three pillars of the organization, we can build stable and resilient communities that are better equipped to uphold peace and attain prosperity.”

But achieving this, said Shahid, will require the “full commitment” of Member States, and more frequent consultations and engagements with all stakeholders.

“This includes local and regional governments, parliaments, the private sector, regional organizations, financial institutions, youth, academia, development agencies, and other key actors in different spheres.”

UN chief calls for pause in fighting in Ukraine to allow safe passage of civilians

UNITED NATIONS, March 6: UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Sunday said it is "absolutely essential" to pause the fighting in Ukraine to allow for the safe passage of civilians caught in the conflict in areas like Kharkiv and Sumy.

“It is absolutely essential to establish a pause in the fighting in Ukraine to allow for the safe passage of civilians from Mariupol, Kharkiv and Sumy, as well as all other places caught in conflict, and to ensure life-saving humanitarian supplies can move in for those who remain,” Guterres said in a tweet as Russia's military offensive against Ukraine intensified on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the UN said Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant has come under Russian command.

Staff at Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant continue to operate it, but management is now under the orders of the commander of the Russian forces that seized it last week, the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency said in a statement on Sunday.

IAEA chief Rafael Grossi added that Russian forces had cut off some mobile networks and the internet, complicating communications with the plant.

India abstains in UN Human Rights Council vote on Russia-Ukraine crisis

GENEVA, March 4: India has abstained in a vote in the UN Human Rights Council that has decided to urgently establish an independent international commission of inquiry as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The 47-member Council voted on a draft resolution on the situation of human rights in Ukraine. The resolution was adopted with 32 votes in favour, two against (Russia and Eritrea) and 13 abstentions, including India, China, Pakistan, Sudan and Venezuela.

India has abstained on two resolutions on Ukraine in the 15-nation Security Council and one in the 193-member General Assembly.

The UN General Assembly this week overwhelmingly voted to demand Russia to “completely and unconditionally” withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine. India abstained on the resolution, which received 141 votes in favour, five against and a total of 35 abstentions.

India's envoy to the UN T S Tirumurti had provided an Explanation of Vote (EOV) that laid out the rationale behind India's stance in the matter.

In its EOV, India called for a return to the path of diplomacy and respecting sovereignty and territorial integrity of states.

It appealed to all concerned parties to immediate cease violence and hostilities and referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's conversation with President Putin urging the same.

India At UN Cautions Against Attacks On Nuclear Facilities In Ukraine

UNITED NATIONS, March 4: In the wake of Russia's attack on the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant in Ukraine, India on Friday cautioned that any accident involving nuclear facilities may have severe consequences for public health and the environment, while asserting that the UN Security Council "must acknowledge" the pressing humanitarian crisis confronting Ukraine.

"India attaches the highest importance to ensuring safety and security of nuclear facilities as any accident involving the nuclear facilities may have severe consequences for public health and the environment," India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador TS Tirumurti told the UN Security Council.

The 15-nation Council held an emergency session, called by Albania, France, Ireland, Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States on Friday, following Russia's attack on the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Plant in southeastern Ukraine.

Tirumurti said India continues to carefully follow the developments regarding the safety and security of Ukraine's nuclear power reactors and facilities and added that India accords the highest priority to the discharge by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) of its safeguards and monitoring activities, in accordance with its Statute in an effective, non-discriminatory and efficient manner.

"We have also noted the latest information available with regard to the nuclear power plants and facilities in Ukraine," including updates provided by the IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi on the current situation.

Tirumurti said while the Council discusses the nuclear dimension of an unfolding conflict, the UN body must acknowledge that there is a "pressing humanitarian crisis confronting us in Ukraine, where safety and security of innocent civilians including several thousand Indian nationals, in particular students are at stake."

He expressed hope that the second round of talks between Russia and Ukraine contributes to the immediate establishment of a safe humanitarian corridor.

Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo told the meeting that every effort should be taken to avoid a catastrophic nuclear incident.

"Military operations around nuclear sites and other critical civilian infrastructure are not only unacceptable but highly irresponsible. Ukraine knows only too well the devastation a major nuclear accident can cause. The Chernobyl disaster in 1986 stands as a lasting example of why it is vital to ensure all nuclear power plants have the highest standards of safety and security," DiCarlo said.

Tirumurti said it is "regrettable" that the situation in Ukraine has worsened further since the Security Council last convened on this matter last week.

Tirumurti reiterated that an "immediate cessation" of violence and end to all hostilities are essential.

He added that as reiterated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his conversations with global leaders, including of the Russian Federation and Ukraine, differences must be resolved through sustained dialogue and diplomacy.

"Commitment to the principles of the UN Charter, to international law and respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states are key principles in this regard."

Nuclear threat over Ukraine shows 'all of humanity' at risk: UN

GENEVA, March 3: The UN human rights chief slammed Thursday Russia's attack on Ukraine, warning of a "massive impact" on the rights of millions, and cautioning that heightened nuclear threat levels showed all of humanity was at risk.

"Elevated threat levels for nuclear weapons underline the gravity of the risks to all of humanity," Michelle Bachelet told the UN Human Rights Council, as it began an urgent debate on violations committed in the conflict.

India Abstains On UN Resolution 'Deploring Russia's Aggression' In Ukraine

UNITED NATIONS, March 2: India on Wednesday abstained on a UN General Assembly resolution that strongly deplored Russia's aggression against Ukraine, the third abstention in less than a week by the country in the world body on resolutions on the escalating crisis between Moscow and Kyiv.

The 193-member General Assembly Wednesday voted to reaffirm its commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders and "deplores in the strongest terms" Russia's aggression against Ukraine.

The resolution was adopted with 141 votes in favour, five Member States voting against and 35 abstentions. The General Assembly broke into an applause as the resolution was adopted.

The resolution required a 2/3 majority to be adopted in the General Assembly.

The resolution also condemned Russia's decision to increase the readiness of its nuclear forces and deplores the involvement of Belarus in this "unlawful use" of force against Ukraine, and calls upon it to abide by its international obligations.

The resolution urges the immediate peaceful resolution of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine through political dialogue, negotiations, mediation and other peaceful means.

Nearly 100 UN Member States co-sponsored the resolution titled 'Aggression Against Ukraine', including Afghanistan, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Kuwait, Singapore, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The UNGA resolution was similar to the one circulated in the 15-nation Security Council last Friday, on which also India had abstained. The UNSC resolution, which received 11 votes in favour and three abstentions, was blocked after permanent member Russia exercised its veto.

Following the failure of the Council to adopt the resolution, the Security Council voted on Sunday again to convene a rare "emergency special session" of the 193-member General Assembly on the crisis. India again abstained on this resolution, reiterating that "there is no other choice but to return back to the path of diplomacy and dialogue."

The procedural resolution Sunday was adopted even though Moscow voted against it and the General Assembly then held a rare emergency special session on the Ukraine crisis Monday.

President of the 76th session of the General Assembly Abdulla Shahid presided over the unprecedented session, only the 11th such emergency session of the General Assembly since 1950. With the adoption of the UNSC resolution Sunday, it was for the first time in 40 years that the Council decided to call for an emergency special session in the General Assembly.

The resolution demanded that Russia immediately cease its use of force against Ukraine and refrain from any further unlawful threat or use of force against any UN member state.

The resolution, condemning the February 24 declaration by Russia of a "special military operation" in Ukraine, demanded that Moscow "immediately, completely, and unconditionally" withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders."

The resolution also deplores the February 21 decision by Russia related to the status of certain areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine as a violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine and inconsistent with the principles of the Charter and demands that Russia immediately and unconditionally reverse the decision related to the status of certain areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine.

It also called upon the parties to abide by the Minsk agreements and to work constructively in relevant international frameworks, including in the Normandy format and Trilateral Contact Group, towards their full implementation.

While a UNSC resolution condemning Russian invasion of Ukraine would have been legally binding and General Assembly resolutions are not, vote in the 193-member UN body is symbolic of world opinion on the crisis and carry political weight as they represent the will of the entire UN membership.