UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Tuesday, February 22, that the world is “facing a major global crisis of peace and security in recent years.”
He called Russia’s decision to formally recognize the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in eastern Ukraine a violation of its territorial integrity and accused Moscow of violating the concept of peacekeeping.
Mr Guterres told reporters that he is proud of the achievements of the UN peacekeepers but that when one country’s troops entered another country’s territory without the consent of that country, what Russia did, they were not neutral peacekeepers.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said that Russia’s unilateral action is in conflict with the UN Charter and is a serious blow to the Minsk agreement on peace in eastern Ukraine.
At this critical juncture, Guterres called for an immediate ceasefire and a reduction in violence, as well as measures not to be taken that could exacerbate the situation.
The top UN official called on the international community to take action to save the people of Ukraine from war without further bloodshed. He said the United Nations is ready for a peaceful solution.
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