With Ukraine\u2019s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sitting in the iconic chamber after arriving to take part in the UN\u2019s high-level week, the Secretary-General looked back to February when the council had marked the grim third anniversary of Russia\u2019s full-scale invasion.<\/p>\n
Since then, there has been \u201cintense\u201d diplomatic engagement but also an \u201cintensification of the fighting\u201d across Ukraine and, at times, in Russia, Mr. Guterres noted.<\/p>\n
Homes, schools, hospitals and shelters continue to be bombed in Ukraine, while critical civilian infrastructure is being destroyed.<\/p>\n
According to Mr. Guterres, the past months have seen some of the highest casualties with more than 14,000 civilians killed and over 36,000 injured.<\/p>\n
He added that civilians inside Russia are being \u201cincreasingly affected.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLet me be clear: attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure are prohibited under international law,\u201d he said. \u201cThey must stop now.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2018Painfully slow\u2019 progress towards peace<\/strong><\/h2>\nMr. Guterres commended the efforts by the United States and others seeking to facilitate diplomatic solutions to the conflict and welcomed direct talks between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, progress on achieving a ceasefire and a\u00a0lasting peace settlement remains \u201cpainfully slow.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe cannot afford to lose the current diplomatic momentum, as fragile as it might be<\/strong>,\u201d he stressed.<\/p>\nHe reiterated his appeal for a \u201ccomprehensive and sustainable ceasefire\u201d in line with the UN Charter and international law.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe United Nations is committed to fully supporting all meaningful efforts to end this war \u2013 and to build a future of dignity, security and peace for all.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\n<\/div>\n\n\u00a9 UNICEF\/Oleksii Filippov<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
A resident near the ruins of a residential building in Kyiv, watching as emergency crews search for survivors following a missile strike in the early hours of the morning on 28 August.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u2018Be the force that acts together’<\/strong><\/h2>\nIn his speech, President Zelenskyy lamented that the UN is \u201closing influence\u201d and called for real security guarantees.<\/p>\n
He said that along with Britain, France, and 40 more nations in what he called the coalition of the willing,\u00a0\u201cwe are building a new security architecture. We count on the United States of America as a backstop.\u201d<\/p>\n
He urged the US, China, Britain and France to \u201cbe the force that acts together.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we need now is a strong push to force Russia toward peace.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n![\"President](\"https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Libraries\/Production%20Library\/23-09-2025-UN-Photo-Volodymyr-Zelenskyy.jpg\/image1170x530cropped.jpg\" "\\"President")
\n<\/div>\nPresident Volodymyr Zelenskyy addresses the UN Security Council meeting on maintaining peace and security in Ukraine.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u2018Bring this war to an end\u2019<\/strong><\/h2>\nUS Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Security Council members and those involved in the conflict to \u201cbring this war to an end before it becomes something that will last another three or four years, lead to more destruction \u2013 both economic and at the same time, loss of life, loss of property, loss of futures.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said that if no path to peace appears in the short-term, the\u00a0US \u201cwill take the steps necessary to impose costs for continued aggression.\u201d<\/p>\n
He reiterated his appeal for a \u201ccomprehensive and sustainable ceasefire\u201d in line with the UN Charter and international law.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe United Nations is committed to fully supporting all meaningful efforts to end this war \u2013 and to build a future of dignity, security and peace for all.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u00a9 UNICEF\/Oleksii Filippov<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
A resident near the ruins of a residential building in Kyiv, watching as emergency crews search for survivors following a missile strike in the early hours of the morning on 28 August.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u2018Be the force that acts together’<\/strong><\/h2>\nIn his speech, President Zelenskyy lamented that the UN is \u201closing influence\u201d and called for real security guarantees.<\/p>\n
He said that along with Britain, France, and 40 more nations in what he called the coalition of the willing,\u00a0\u201cwe are building a new security architecture. We count on the United States of America as a backstop.\u201d<\/p>\n
He urged the US, China, Britain and France to \u201cbe the force that acts together.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we need now is a strong push to force Russia toward peace.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\n<\/div>\nPresident Volodymyr Zelenskyy addresses the UN Security Council meeting on maintaining peace and security in Ukraine.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u2018Bring this war to an end\u2019<\/strong><\/h2>\nUS Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Security Council members and those involved in the conflict to \u201cbring this war to an end before it becomes something that will last another three or four years, lead to more destruction \u2013 both economic and at the same time, loss of life, loss of property, loss of futures.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said that if no path to peace appears in the short-term, the\u00a0US \u201cwill take the steps necessary to impose costs for continued aggression.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n<\/div>\nPresident Volodymyr Zelenskyy addresses the UN Security Council meeting on maintaining peace and security in Ukraine.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
![\"US](\"https:\/\/global.unitednations.entermediadb.net\/assets\/mediadb\/services\/module\/asset\/downloads\/preset\/Libraries\/Production%20Library\/23-09-2025-UN-Photo-Marco-Rubio.jpg\/image1170x530cropped.jpg\" "\\"US")
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