The United Nations has announced the allocation of $20 million to meet immediate humanitarian needs in Ukraine.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reiterated his plea for Russia to halt its military operations against Ukraine.
“Stop the military operation. Bring the troops back to Russia,” the UN chief said while speaking to reporters at UN headquarters in New York on Thursday.
Despite efforts by the international community to avert military action in Ukraine, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin did just that – triggering a barrage of reactions, beginning with the UN secretary-general, condemning the move and appealing for peace.
“All members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations,” he said, quoting the Charter.
President Putin had said the assault is meant to protect civilians in eastern Ukraine, where pro-Russian separatists have been fighting the government for nearly eight years.
He said that UN staff are working on “both sides of the contact line,” providing life-saving humanitarian relief to people in need, “regardless of who or where they are”.
The UN chief restated that international humanitarian and human rights law must be upheld, noting that the decisions of the coming days “will shape our world and directly affect the lives of millions upon millions of people”.
Prior to the media briefing, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet had issued a statement on the military attack.
