Security Council reacts to Putin announcement of ‘Special Operation’ in Eastern Ukraine
The Hindu
“It is too late to call for de-escalation,” Ukraine’s UN Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya said as he repeatedly said Mr. Putin had called to war.
As news of Russian President Vladimir Putin ordering a military operation in eastern Ukraine broke, United Nations Secretary General Atonio Guterres, speaking at a hastily called Security Council meeting, asked Russia to stop the attack on Ukraine and to “give peace a chance.”
Mr. Guterres was speaking before Mr. Putin’s announcement was made public. The United Nations (UN) Security Council met at 9.30 p.m. – its second meeting this week, called at Ukraine’s request.
“It is too late to call for de-escalation,” Ukraine’s UN Ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya said as he repeatedly said Mr. Putin had called to war. He called for Russia’s representative Vasily Nebenzya to give up his position.
After his speech, Mr Nebenzya said it was not a “war” that Mr. Putin had declared but a “special military operation in the Donbass.”
“For you those living in Donbass are simply pawns in a geopolitical game focused on weakening Russia,” he told Security Council members, denying that Russia had conducted false flags operations in the Donbass.
During his main speech (which just preceded Mr. Kyslytsya’s), Mr. Nebenzya said, “We don’t know all the details today” about his President’s (Mr. Putin’s) operation in eastern Ukraine.
During his remarks, India’s Permanent Representative said India had “noted with regret” that calls for de-escalation of tensions were not heeded.