“As we reflect on two years of anguish and hardship, let us leave this place with a resounding message of solidarity and unwavering support for the resilient people of Ukraine,” he said, speaking on the eve of the solemn anniversary.
The Security Council will also meet later on Friday on Ukraine, where new attacks were reported on the cities of Odessa and Dnipro, just a day after deadly attacks in the eastern Donetsk region.
Destruction and devastation
Addressing representatives of the 193 UN Member States gathered in the General Assembly Hall in New York, Mr. Francis stated that they “cannot ignore the ongoing destruction and devastation, nor ignore the plight of the people of Ukraine “.
“This is especially true because this year also coincides with the 10th anniversary of the attempted illegal annexation of Crimea and other Ukrainian territories by the Russian Federation in 2014,” he added.
The full-scale Russian invasion began on February 24, 2022. Since then, thousands of people have been killed and injured, millions more have been uprooted, and schools, hospitals and other critical infrastructure have been damaged. Dozens of Ukrainian children have also been forcibly deported to Russia.
Wide impacts around the world
Francis said the impact of this “unnecessary war” extends far beyond Ukraine's borders, as the environment is also “the silent victim of the conflict,” while the real risk of a nuclear accident remains.
“And ultimately, the war has affected all Member States gathered in this room, whether in the form of skyrocketing food prices or in the context of energy insecurity.”
Furthermore, the conflict has been a major catalyst in reshaping global geopolitics and geoeconomics, he continued, as it is directly harming the countries involved and impeding progress in many others, especially developing nations.
UN charter undermined
“It is actively undermining the very foundations of our UN Charter, threatening the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity that we all pledged to value and defend,” he said.
“It has upset the delicate balance of international relations, at a time when unity, solidarity and cooperation are absolutely crucial for multilateral problem-solving.
Mr. Francis noted that while the 15-member UN Security Council has been paralyzed by division over the conflict, the General Assembly has condemned Russia's aggression and demanded immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of its forces from Ukrainian territory.
work for peace
“Beyond condemnations, we, the United Nations, must work actively towards a comprehensive, just and sustainable peace in line with the Charter of this organization,” he stated.
The President of the Assembly called for redoubling efforts “to end wars and usher in a future of hope, promise and prosperity for the people of Ukraine and Russia alike, and indeed elsewhere, without exception.”
A family receives medical treatment in Odessa after being rescued in Kherson following the destruction of the Kakhovka dam.
Strengthening healthcare in Ukraine
Meanwhile, UN agencies have been reflecting on their response to the conflict in Ukraine, which the World Health Organization (WHO) has called Europe's biggest emergency.
WHO has partnered with the Ministry of Health to determine, in real time, what the key needs of the sector are and intervene where necessary to strengthen existing systems.
Support has included regular donations of essential medical supplies, vehicles and equipment to ensure existing healthcare facilities can continue to operate.
Teams have also built temporary structures in communities where health facilities have been damaged or destroyed, ensuring people can continue to receive care. Currently, there are 12 modular primary care clinics open in locations in the south and east of the country.
WHO has verified 1,574 health attacks since the war broke out, claiming the lives of 118 health workers and affecting health facilities, transportation and warehouses.
The conflict in Ukraine has had a devastating impact on children's mental health and learning abilities.
Concern for children's mental health
Russia's large-scale invasion has had a devastating effect on the mental health of Ukraine's youngest citizens, according to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).
The agency said children in frontline areas have been forced to spend between 3,000 and 5,000 hours (the equivalent of four to seven months) sheltering in basements, bunkers or a hole in the ground.
Seeking safety from missiles and drones comes at a great cost for these children, said UNICEF spokesman James Elder, who was in the city of Kharkiv this week, where he spoke with families and child psychologists.
“About three-quarters of young people have recently reported that they need some form of psychological or emotional support; a fraction of them are getting it,” he told reporters in Geneva on Friday.
“So the continued bombings, the increased use of drones, all of this is raising awareness that children continue to be killed and therefore it is hindering the ability of families to overcome the stress and trauma inflicted by this war.”
Elder added that although education is a critical source of hope and stability, it is chronically disrupted and out of reach for a substantial segment of Ukraine's children.
“Children in frontline areas have been inside a school for a single week for the past four years: two years of COVID-19 and two years of large-scale war. In the Kharkiv region, two out of 700 schools “They are teaching classes in person. learning,” he said.
UNICEF's response in Ukraine has included providing a network of psychologists who support children and their parents, helping them overcome distress and trauma and find some relief and joy.
The agency also supports the reconstruction of critical infrastructure such as schools and water systems, among other operations.
