Ukrainian president criticises China and Brazil for pushing what he calls “half-hearted solution plans”.
Ukraine's president has urged world leaders to stand by his country and not seek “calm” instead of “real and just peace” more than two years after the war in Russia began.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy made the statement during a speech to the UN General Assembly in New York on Wednesday, rallying support for his 2022 “peace formula” that calls for the expulsion of Russian forces from Ukraine and justice for war crimes.
“Any parallel or alternative attempts to seek peace are, in fact, efforts to achieve calm rather than an end to the war,” Zelenskyy told the UN body more than 31 months after the start of the bloody war that has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives.
Zelenskyy also criticised China and Brazil for pushing what he called “half-hearted solution plans”, accusing them of playing to their own interests “at the expense of Ukraine”.
On Friday, representatives from 20 UN states will discuss a six-point peace plan drawn up by China and Brazil as an alternative to Zelensky's proposal. The plan calls for non-escalation of the situation, increased humanitarian assistance, efforts to stop nuclear proliferation and an international conference backed by both Russia and Ukraine.
Fear of radioactive fallout
Zelenskyy's UN address came as Russian forces claimed further advances in eastern Ukraine, including the capture of the settlements of Gostre and Grigorivka in the Donetsk region.
Despite launching a surprise counteroffensive in Russia's Kursk region in August, Ukraine has continued to suffer a series of battlefield losses in the east.
kyiv now fears that intensified Russian attacks on its energy infrastructure, much of which is already damaged by the war, could leave it even more exposed during the coming winter months.
“Since Russia cannot defeat the resistance of our people on the battlefield, Putin is looking for other ways to break the Ukrainian spirit,” Zelenskiy told the UN assembly. “One of his methods is to attack our energy infrastructure.”
The Ukrainian leader specifically warned of possible Russian attacks on the country's nuclear power plants, saying he had received intelligence alerts about such plans.
“If God forbid, Russia causes a disaster at one of our nuclear power plants, radiation will not respect state borders and, unfortunately, several countries could feel its devastating effects,” Zelensky warned.
Meeting at the White House
Zelensky will continue to push for support in the war during a highly anticipated meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday. During the White House meeting, Zelensky plans to present details of a revamped “victory plan,” which he said includes “quick and concrete steps by our strategic partners.”
The Ukrainian leader is also expected to push for permission to use US-supplied ballistic missiles deeper inside Russian territory, a move Washington fears could escalate the conflict.
Zelensky also plans to meet separately with Vice President Kamala Harris, U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump and Congress while in Washington.
“Ukraine wants to end this war more than anyone else in the world,” Zelenskyy said in his speech to the UN.
