The fighting in Ukraine must stop and the escalation of violence is unacceptable, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said.

"The fighting in Ukraine must stop. They are raging all over the country in the air, on the ground and at sea. It has to stop now," Guterres said at an emergency UN General Assembly meeting on Ukraine in New York on Monday.

He stressed that this escalation of violence resulting in civilian deaths, including children, is totally unacceptable.

"There is a limit to everything. Soldiers must return to their barracks and leaders must come to peace. Civilians must be protected, international humanitarian law and human rights must be respected, Ukraine's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders must be respected in accordance with General Assembly resolutions," Guterres pointed out.