UN Secretary-General António Guterres appealed directly to Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday not to launch an attack on Ukraine.amid repeated reports pointing to an imminent invasion.
“If indeed that operation is being prepared, I only have one thing to say from the bottom of my heart. President Putin, stop his troops from attacking Ukraine. Give peace a chance, too many people have already diedGuterres said as he opened an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council.
In a rare move, the UN chief spoke to the Council without a prepared speech and, also very extraordinarily, appealed directly to the leader of one of the major international powers.
Guterres, who until now had always been convinced that Russia would not invade Ukraine, Wednesday gave credence to indications of an imminent attack.
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President Putin, stop your troops from attacking Ukraine. Give peace a chance, too many people have already died
“In the recent past there were several situations with similar indications, similar rumors and I never believed them, convinced that nothing serious would happen. I was wrong,” he said.
Together with Guterres, the head of UN Political Affairs, Rosemary DiCarlo, appeared before the Security Council, who recounted the events of the last hours, after Russia recognized the self-proclaimed republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, in the Ukrainian region of Donbas, and authorize the sending of troops to the area.
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“We cannot predict exactly what will happen in the next hours and days in Ukraine. What is clear is the unacceptably high cost, in human suffering and destruction, of an escalation“, he pointed.
The Security Council meeting was called at the last minute following a request from Ukraine, supported by several member States of the body.
EFE
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