The Ukrainian president stressed that Russia, which invaded in February 2022, was the “sole aggressor” and “sole violator” of the UN Charter.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the United Nations Security Council that negotiations will not be enough to end the war in Ukraine and that it is necessary to “force Russia to accept peace.”
Zelenskyy told a high-level meeting of the 15-member council in New York that Russian President Vladimir Putin was committing “an international crime” and had violated so many international rules that he would not stop on his own.
“That is why this war cannot simply disappear. That is why this war cannot be calmed down by talks,” Zelenskyy said. “You can only force Russia into peace, and that is exactly what is needed: to force Russia into peace as the only aggressor in this war, the only violator of the UN Charter.”
Zelenskyy is seeking to build support among Ukraine's allies for what he has called a “victory plan” to end the war that began when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
He stressed that the war will not end because “someone got tired of the war” or through a deal with Putin, referring to proposals for Ukraine to cede some of the territory seized by Russia to end the conflict.
Russia currently occupies less than 20 percent of Ukraine and is advancing along the eastern front line.
The meeting was attended by ministers from 14 Council member countries, except Russia, which sent its Permanent Representative to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia.
He complained that Zelensky was once again the focus of UN attention.
“Western countries could not help but poison the atmosphere once again, trying to fill the television space with the hackneyed Ukrainian issue,” Nebenzia said of the meeting.
'De facto accomplices'
Zelensky's visit to the United States comes as the campaign for the November presidential election that could reset Washington's relations with kyiv gains momentum.
Vice President Kamala Harris is up against former President Donald Trump, who is seen as a skeptic of Ukraine. Opinion polls suggest a close race between the two.
The Ukrainian president also criticised North Korea and Iran for providing weapons to Russia for the war, describing them as “de facto accomplices” of Moscow.
Investigators have found traces of North Korean weapons in Ukraine. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has denied accusations that Tehran is supplying missiles to Russia.
The arms supply issue also fueled a standoff between top Chinese and US diplomats.
“North Korea and Iran are not the only ones aiding and abetting Russia,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the council. “China — another permanent member of this council — is the primary supplier of machine tools, microelectronics, and other items that Russia is using to rebuild, resupply, and bolster its war machine and sustain its brutal aggression.”
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi rejected the allegations.
“I want to make it clear that on the issue of Ukraine, any attempt to shift responsibility to China or to attack and smear China is irresponsible and will lead nowhere,” he told the council.
He reiterated China's commitment to achieving peace in Ukraine and highlighted a peace proposal worked out with Brazil.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also briefed the meeting, reiterating the UN's strong support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity in accordance with the UN Charter.
“Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, following the illegal annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol a decade ago, is a clear violation of these principles,” the UN chief said.
