Address root causes of Ukraine conflict, UN official urges, as anniversary of Russian invasion approaches | EUROtoday

Miroslav Jenča, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Europe on the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA), warned that the combating risked “further diminishing the prospects for a just and lasting solution”.

“The approaching anniversary of the invasion is not only an occasion to recount the horrors of the past two years, but also a reminder that the armed conflict in Ukraine did not begin on 24 February 2022, but has been ongoing in the country’s east since 2014,” he mentioned, briefing ambassadors within the Security Council.

“The United Nations has been, and will remain, fully committed to the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Ukraine,” he added.

Mr. Jenča famous that although the UN was not formally a part of any mechanism associated to the peace course of in Ukraine, over time it had expressed “full support” to all diplomatic efforts to resolve the battle, in accordance with related Security Council resolutions.

Address root causes

He additionally underscored the necessity for peace processes to handle the basis causes of the battle.

“What we know is that peace agreements alone will not end violence.  Peace processes must address the root causes of the conflict and come with full and equal participation of women and youth, and inclusion of civil society voices,” he mentioned.

“What we need for Ukraine, for the region and the world, is a just, lasting and comprehensive peace, in line with the UN Charter, international law, and the resolutions of the General Assembly,” he added.

Humanitarian state of affairs

Meanwhile, in Ukraine, hostilities continued via the weekend and into Monday, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported.

On 10 February, night strikes in Kharkiv metropolis within the east led to an enormous hearth at an oil depot. The hearth unfold to houses close by and native authorities reported greater than 50 casualties. The hearth additionally impacted the electrical energy provide within the space.

“Humanitarian partners are mobilized and distributing hot meals and materials for urgent repairs. They are also providing mental health and psychosocial support at the site of the attack,” UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric advised correspondents on the common briefing at UN Headquarters in New York.

Damage to vitality services has additionally been reported by the state vitality supplier within the Dnipro, Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kherson and Mykolaiv areas, he added, noting that, in accordance with Ukraine’s most important vitality firm, 386 cities and villages throughout the nation stay with out electrical energy because of the affect of hostilities.