World facing 'biggest global peace and security crisis' in recent years: UN on Ukraine conflict
Zee News
“Our world is facing the biggest global peace and security crisis in recent years, certainly in my tenure as Secretary-General. We face a moment that I sincerely hoped would not come,” Guterres said.
United Nations: The world is facing the "biggest global peace and security crisis" in recent years, UN chief Antonio Guterres has said as he slammed Russian President Vladimir Putin for sending troops into eastern Ukraine, describing the move as a violation of Ukraine's sovereignty and a “death blow” to the Minsk Agreements.
The Secretary-General, who cancelled a scheduled visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in light of the deteriorating situation in Ukraine, said he was deeply troubled by the latest developments in Ukraine, including reports of increased ceasefire violations across the contact line and the real risk of further escalation on the ground.
“Our world is facing the biggest global peace and security crisis in recent years, certainly in my tenure as Secretary-General. We face a moment that I sincerely hoped would not come,” Guterres told reporters here on Tuesday.
He reiterated that Russia's decision to recognise the so-called “independence” of certain areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions is a violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine.
“Such a unilateral measure conflicts directly with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and is inconsistent with the so-called Friendly Relations Declaration of the General Assembly which the International Court of Justice has repeatedly cited as representing international law,” he said, adding that it is also a “death blow” to the Minsk Agreements endorsed by the Security Council.
