As Russia invade Ukraine, the UN Secretary-General makes a desperate plea
Key Takeaways:
- After approving a military action in eastern Ukraine, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres pleaded to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday.
- According to Guterres, a conflict would be disastrous for Ukraine and have far-reaching consequences for the global economy.
According to Reuters, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday after authorizing a military campaign in eastern Ukraine.
The head of a worldwide peace organization asked Putin to end the conflict, which he described as being fought "in the name of mankind."
"President Putin, in the name of humanity, returns your soldiers to Russia," Guterres urged as the UN Security Council held an emergency meeting in a desperate attempt to de-escalate tensions between the two countries.
A conflict would be terrible for Ukraine and far-reaching for the global economy, according to Guterres.
Following Russian President Vladimir Putin's announcement of a military campaign in eastern Ukraine, the UN head made his remarks. According to allegations in the media, missile attacks were launched against the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and the city of Kharkiv.
"I have decided on a military action," he declared in a televised speech, according to news agency AFP. Explosions were heard in Mariupol shortly after the announcement.
Previously, the Kremlin stated that rebel commanders in eastern Ukraine had requested urgent Russian assistance in combating what they described as aggressive Ukrainian armed troops.
After Putin announced the military action in a public address, US President Joe Biden, together with the UN Secretary-General, warned of a catastrophic loss of life.
Biden tweeted, "President Putin has chosen a planned conflict that will result in the devastating loss of life and human misery."
"From the White House this evening, I'll be watching the situation and getting frequent briefings from my national security team," the US president stated.
Remember that Ukraine has already proclaimed a state of emergency and has begun mobilizing its military reserves to anticipate Russian military actions.
"Both the Ukrainian people and the Ukrainian government desire peace. But if the country is attacked, we will fight back," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declared in a speech to the country.