Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pictured on a translator's monitor while addressing the UN Security Council, New York, USA, 24 September 2024. Photo: EPA-EFE/SARAH YENESEL
The war in Ukraine must end with Russia being “forced into peace” and made to respect the UN Charter, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told the UN Security Council on Tuesday.
Addressing the council’s 15 members, including a Russian representative, at a special session, Zelensky criticised world leaders who have engaged in dialogue with Moscow, arguing that the war “can’t be calmed by talks” as Russia’s Vladimir Putin “has broken so many international norms that he won’t stop on his own”.
“Russia can only be forced into peace. And that is exactly what’s needed — forcing Russia into peace as the sole aggressor in this war, the sole violator of the UN Charter”, Zelensky said.
Stressing that Russian attacks on Ukrainian civilians and energy infrastructure represented an “international crime”, Zelensky also claimed Ukraine had evidence that Russia was planning to target three nuclear power plants in the country.
Zelensky also criticised Iran and North Korea for supplying weapons to Moscow, saying that Russia had “no legitimate reason” for making them its “accomplices” in the war.
Zelensky’s address came as part of a multi-day visit to the US, during which he is due to present his “victory plan” to US President Joe Biden and Congress, as well as to presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. The Ukrainian president is scheduled to address the UN General Assembly on Wednesday.
On Monday, Zelensky told ABC News that the war in Ukraine was “closer to an end” than many believe and appealed to Kyiv’s partners to lift their restrictions on Ukraine’s use of long-range missile strikes against military targets deep inside Russia, arguing that the Armed Forces of Ukraine’s recent offensive in Russia’s southwestern Kursk region had made Putin “afraid”, as it had allowed Russians to see that “he can’t defend all his territory”.
