“We call for an immediate ceasefire by all parties; exercise maximum restraint and initiate dialogue. Diplomacy and dialogue must prevail,” UNGA said at its 11th Emergency Special Session on Ukraine Russia crisis.
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has observed a minute of silence for Ukraine as it opens a special emergency session to discuss Russia’s invasion of its neighbour.
UNGA President Abdulla Shahid led the UN’s 193 members in the moment of meditation before calling for “an immediate ceasefire” in the conflict.
“We call for an immediate ceasefire by all parties; exercise maximum restraint and initiate dialogue. Diplomacy and dialogue must prevail,” UNGA said at its 11th Emergency Special Session on Ukraine Russia crisis.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres said, “Escalating violence is resulting in civilians' death. Enough is Enough, soldiers need to move back to barracks, civilians must be protected.”
“Humanitarian aid is vital, it's not a solution, the only solution is through peace ... I have assured the Ukraine President that the UN will continue to assist, will not abandon them, will provide them with humanitarian assistance,” António Guterres further said at UN emergency meeting.
“I hope that the direct talks now taking place between Ukrainian and Russian delegations will produce not only an immediate halt to the fighting, but also a path towards a diplomatic solution,” Guterres added.
Dozens of people were killed in rocket strikes by Russian forces on the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on Monday morning, Ukrainian interior ministry adviser Anton Herashchenko said. “Kharkiv has just been massively fired upon by grads (rockets). Dozens of dead and hundreds of wounded,” he said in a post on Facebook.
Meanwhile, high-level talks between Kyiv and Moscow are taking place at the Ukraine-Belarus border. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the next 24 hours “crucial” for Ukraine.
Moscow has shifted its nuclear forces to a high alert footing.