联合国秘书长：俄罗斯对乌克兰的军事进攻是“不可接受的”

2022 年 2 月 24 日和平与安全

联合国秘书长古特雷斯在昨天深夜就乌克兰局势发表讲话之后，今天再度在联合国纽约总部安理会会议厅前发表讲话。他指出， 俄罗斯对乌克兰的军事进攻是“不可接受的”，并再次呼吁俄罗斯总统普京停止军事行动，撤回军队。

古特雷斯说：“我们看到俄罗斯在乌克兰主权领土内的军事行动，其规模是欧洲几十年来不曾见过的。”

“我再三鲜明地指出，这种单边措施直接违反了《联合国宪章》。”

《宪章》明确规定“各会员国在其国际关系上不得使用威胁或武力，或以与联合国宗旨不符之任何其他方法，侵害任何会员国或国家之领土完整或政治独立。”

并非不可逆转

他说：“一个国家对另一个国家使用武力是对每个国家承诺坚持的原则的背弃。这也适用于目前的军事攻势。这是错误的。这违反了《宪章》。”

“这是不可接受的。”

古特雷斯强调，“但这并不是不可逆转的。我重申我昨晚对普京总统的呼吁。停止军事行动。把部队撤回俄罗斯。”

芸芸众生付出最高代价

他说：“我们知道战争的代价。随着死亡人数的增加，我们在乌克兰的每个角落都看到了恐惧、痛苦和恐怖的画面。”

“人民，无辜的芸芸众生，总是付出最高的代价。”

联合国将留在乌克兰

古特雷斯表示，这就是为什么联合国正在扩大我们在乌克兰及其周边地区的人道主义行动。

他表示，联合国和人道主义伙伴致力于留下来并提供帮助，在乌克兰人民需要的时候支持他们。

紧急拨款

他同时宣布，联合国将立即从中央应急基金中拨款2000万美元以满足紧急需求。

联合国工作人员正在接触线两侧工作，始终遵循中立、公正、人道和独立的人道主义原则。

“我们正在向有需要的人提供拯救生命的人道主义救济，无论他们是谁，无论他们在哪里。”

他说：“保护平民必须是第一要务。国际人道主义和人权法必须得到维护。未来几天的决定将重塑我们的世界，并直接影响数百万人的生活。”

“根据《宪章》，现在将这一代人从战争的祸害中拯救出来还不算太晚。我们需要和平。”

古特雷斯在安理会呼吁俄罗斯总统普京：给和平一个机会

联合国图片/Evan Schneider     安理会就乌克兰局势举行紧急会议。

2022 年 2 月 23 日和平与安全

安理会纽约时间今天晚上9点30分再次就乌克兰问题举行紧急会议。秘书长古特雷斯在会上呼吁俄罗斯总统普京：给和平一个机会。

古特雷斯表示，“今天白天发生了一些事件……但与此同时，今天充斥着有关对乌克兰的进攻迫在眉睫的谣言和迹象。不久前，有类似迹象、类似传闻的情况屡见不鲜。我从不相信它们，确信不会发生任何严重的事情。我错了。我希望今天不要再犯错。”

他说：“所以，如果真的有一场行动在准备中，我发自心底的只有一件事要说：普京总统，阻止你的军队攻击乌克兰。给和平一个机会。已经有太多人死去。”

这场冲突必须马上停止

就在安理会举行的同时，俄罗斯总统普京宣布在顿巴斯采取“特别军事行动”。秘书长古特雷斯在会后向媒体发表了最新讲话，并表示这是他担任联合国秘书长以来最悲痛的时刻。

他说：“普京总统，出于人道，把你的军队带回俄罗斯。出于人道，不要允许在欧洲开始这场可能是本世纪初以来最严重的战争。后果不仅对乌克兰是毁灭性的，不仅对俄罗斯联邦是悲剧性的，对全球经济的影响甚至是我们无法预见的。”

古特雷斯表示，世界正在摆脱新冠疫情。许多发展中国家绝对需要有复苏的空间。随着油价的高涨，随着乌克兰小麦出口的终结，随着国际市场的不稳定导致的利率上升，这将是非常困难的。

他最后呼吁：“这场冲突必须马上停止。”

一整天充斥令人不安的报道

主管政治与建设和平事务的副秘书长迪卡洛向安理会通报了局势的最新发展。

她表示，今天早些时候，所谓的“顿涅茨克人民共和国和卢甘斯克人民共和国”当局要求俄罗斯联邦提供军事援助。

同样在今天，乌克兰当局宣布全国进入紧急状态，并宣布了其他相关的国防和安全措施，包括动员预备役人员。

迪卡洛说：“今天一整天，我们都看到了令人不安的报道，称接触线两侧持续遭到猛烈炮击，并有平民和军人伤亡。还有报道称，民用基础设施一再成为攻击目标。”

她表示，今晚，不同媒体报道了正在进行的大规模军事集结和军事纵队向乌克兰移动。据报道，俄罗斯联邦还对民用飞机关闭了靠近乌克兰边境的领空。

迪卡洛说：“联合国无法核实任何这些报道。但如果这些事态得到证实，那将大大加剧本已极为危险的局势。”

她表示，乌克兰当局还报告了针对该国多个国家和金融机构的新的大规模网络攻击。

竭尽全力确保和平

迪卡洛说：“泽连斯基总统今晚早些时候呼吁继续进行外交。另外，普京总统也谈到他继续准备进行对话。我们鼓励这种努力，即使是在这么晚的时候。”

联合国工作人员仍在实地为乌克兰人民提供人道主义援助。

“我们致力于留在乌克兰并提供支持。各方必须确保我们同事的安全。尊重国际人道主义法和国际人权法也至关重要。”

最后，副秘书长迪卡洛说：“我们无法准确预测乌克兰未来数小时和数天会发生什么。显而易见的是，升级的代价高得令人无法接受，因为它会造成人类蒙受痛苦和破坏。”

“乌克兰人民想要和平。我确信俄罗斯人民想要和平。我们必须竭尽全力确保和平。”

美国提出决议草案

美国常驻联合国代表格林菲尔德在会上的第二次发言中表示，美国将在明天就乌克兰局势提出一份决议草案。

As Security Council meets on Ukraine crisis, Russia announces start of ‘special military operation’

24 February 2022Peace and Security

“President Putin, stop your troops from attacking Ukraine, give peace a chance,” Secretary-General António Guterres urged Wednesday evening at the start of an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, the body's second late night session this week.

Hours after speakers took the floor in the 193-member General Assembly to denounce Russia’s actions towards Ukraine and appeal for diplomacy, Mr. Guterres said that instead of repeating what he’d stated there, his political chief would update the Council on “a number of events” that had taken place during the day.

But before handing the microphone to her, he drew attention to rumours that were circulating that an offensive against Ukraine was imminent.

About an hour into the Council meeting, President Putin announced in Moscow that a 'special military operation' in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region had commenced, and that he had asked Ukrainian troops to put down their arms.

Guterres 'saddest moment'

Speaking to journalists after the Security Council session ended, Mr. Guterres called what happened the “saddest moment” in his tenure as UN Secretary-General.

In light of this development, the UN chief said, “I must change my address and say: In the name of humanity bring your troops back to Russia. In the name of humanity to not start what may be the most devastating war since the start of the century.”

Rapidly unfolding events

Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary A. DiCarlo told the Council that earlier in the day, the “so-called authorities of the Donetsk and Luhansk Peoples Republics” had requested military assistance from Russia.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian authorities declared a nationwide state of emergency and announced other related defence and security measures, including the mobilization of reservists.

“Throughout the day we have seen disturbing reports of continued heavy shelling across the contact line and civilian and military casualties…the repeated targeting of civilian infrastructure…[and] an ongoing large-scale military build-up and military columns moving towards Ukraine,” she said.

Moreover, Russia has also reportedly shut airspace to civilian aircraft near the border with Ukraine.

“The United Nations cannot verify any of these reports, but if these developments were confirmed, they would greatly aggravate an already extremely dangerous situation,” she said.

The Ukrainian authorities are also reporting a new large-scale cyber-attack targeting several State and financial institutions.

Staying and delivering

UN staff remain on the ground to provide humanitarian assistance to the people of Ukraine, Ms. DiCarlo said, adding, “we are committed to staying and delivering”.

“All parties must ensure the safety and security. Respect for international humanitarian law and international human rights law is also paramount”, she stated.

While the world cannot predict what will happen in the coming hours and days ahead, Ms. DiCarlo said that “what is clear is the unacceptably high cost – in human suffering and destruction – of an escalation," concluded the senior UN official.

‘Perilous moment’

US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said that the meeting was being held tonight because, along with Ukraine, “we believe that a full-scale further invasion is imminent”.

She pointed to the closing of airspace by the Russian authorities, as well as moving troops into Donbas and moving other forces into combat-ready positions.

“This is a perilous moment and we’re here for one reason, and one reason only: to ask Russia to stop. Return to your borders. Send your troops, your tanks, and your planes back to their barracks and hangars. And send your diplomats to the negotiating table. Back away from the brink, before it is too late.”

Ms. Thomas-Greenfield reminded the Council that Russia had called previous predictions “hysterical”, saying that US was "lying and supplying the world with misinformation."

“But what we said would happen has come to pass, for all the world to see,” the US Ambassador spelled out. “We must confront this threat head-on”.

‘Unjustifiable blow’ to peace

French Ambassador Nicolas de Rivière said that Russia was on the verge of provoking chaos in Ukraine and striking “an unjustifiable blow to peace and security in the heart of Europe”.

“Throughout all this, Ukraine has shown remarkable restraint, including restraining from violence,” Mr. de Rivière said.

He reminded that European allies and the United States had consistently expressed commitment to work together with Russia to seek a diplomatic solution and “the international community had made its united voice heard earlier today in the General Assembly, calling for respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty.

The French Ambassador said that “if Russia confirms that its choice is war it will have to take all the responsibility and pay the price.”

‘A gun to Ukraine’s head’

UK Ambassador Dame Barbara Woodward noted that for months, Russia has been holding “a gun to Ukraine’s head”.

Members of the Security Council, General Assembly, and the Secretary-General himself had been calling for an end to Russia’s aggression.

“The world is calling for peace, but Russia is not listening,” she said.

As such, the United Kingdom, she said, will not compromise its commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“We will not compromise our commitment to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter…most of all the founding principle that we live together as good neighbors,” concluded Ms. Woodward.

Root of the crisis 

Russian Ambassador Vasily Alekseevich Nebenzya, who is serving as the President of the Council for February, said that after listening to the statements tonight and in recent days, it was difficult to explain intensification of shelling by the Ukrainian regime of civilians by in Donetsk and Luhansk.

simply don’t exist.”

“We tried yesterday and the day before to explain the logic by which Russia recognized the regions in the Donbas, but you just didn’t want to hear it; then or now. The people of the Donbas have been living in fear for the past eight years under Ukraine’s shelling and aggressions,” he said.

The Russian Ambassador stated that “the root of today’s crisis around Ukraine is Ukraine itself, which has for years been undermining the Minsk Agreements and calls for de-escalation”.

He told Council members that he had just learned that President Putin had announced a special military operation in the region, but that was all he knew and would need more time to gather specific information.

“I will keep you appraised of the situation,” he said and added that “occupation of Ukraine is not in our plan, our plan is to protect the people [in the Donbas] from the genocide perpetrated by the regime in Kyiv.”

Too late for de-escalation

Ukrainian Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya said that most of his statement was “useless now” after the Russian Ambassador had stated openly from the floor of the Council that President Putin had “declared war on my country”.

He welcomed the intention of some Council members to submit a resolution condemning aggression against Ukraine, saying “there is no purgatory for war criminals. They go straight to hell.”

Mr. Kyslytsya asked the Russian Ambassador to clarify whether Ukraine was being bombed “at this very moment.”

“It's too late, dear collagues, to speak about de-escalation. Too late. The Russian President declared a war. Should I play the video of your President? You declared a war. It’s responsibility of this body to stop the war”, Mr. Kyslytsya said, directing his comments to Russian Ambassador Nebenzya. “You have a smartphone. You can call” officials in Moscow.

Considering this “declaration of war”, the Ukrainian Ambassador said that the Russian Federation should “relinquish the responsibilities of Council President and transfer them to a responsible member of the Council who... respects the UN Charter."

He also requested that the Secretary-General distribute legal UN memorandums from December 1991, particularly 19 December of that year, including a decision by the Security Council recommending that the Russian Federation be a Member State of the Organization. “It would be a miracle if the Secretariat is able to produce such decisions,” he said.

In the meantime, the Security Council should pause tonight's session to consider all resolutions and recommendations to stop the war.

“I call on every one of you to do everything possible to stop the war,” he concluded.

Before the end of the meeting, several members of the Council took the floor a second time to condemn President Putin's announcement of Russia's so-called “special military operation” in areas of eastern Ukraine.