The UN Security Council, on the initiative of Ukraine, which was supported by a number of countries, considered the situation around Ukraine after the Russian Federation recognized the proxy republics of Donbas.
The meeting was broadcasted on YouTube. The US, Albania, Ireland, Mexico, Norway, France, the EU, and the UK supported the meeting.
Representatives of the countries demanded an immediate cessation of hostilities. Negotiations are the only way to solve the problem in eastern Ukraine, UN Deputy Secretary General Rosemary DiCarlo told the UN Security Council.
"Negotiations are the only way to resolve the conflict in Ukraine," she said.
According to her, "the risk of conflict is real, and it must be prevented at all costs." She also called on all sides to "avoid actions and statements" that are in a position to complicate the problem.
"We call for an immediate cessation of hostilities," Dicarlo summarized.
U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield said Washington has no plans to supply nuclear weapons to Ukraine, which does not want them.
She also called Putin's statements that Ukraine is trying to get nuclear weapons from Western countries false. The U.S. Permanent Representative believes that "the recognition of the 'DPR' and 'LPR' is obviously a preparation for Russia's attempt to create a pretext for further invasion of Ukraine.
Representatives of Albania and France expressed the same opinion and condemned the sending of Russian armed forces to the occupied Ukrainian territories. The countries' representatives believe that Russia violates integrity and threatens Ukraine's sovereignty.
"We are particularly concerned about the president's decision to send the army to the separatist territories under the pretext of peacekeeping activities," said the French ambassador.
Also, Nicolas de Rivière said that Paris together with its allies is preparing targeted sanctions against those involved in the "illegal decision to recognize the 'DPR' and 'LPR.
The representative of the United Kingdom said that Russia violates international law with its actions and this will have "the most serious consequences," including economic ones.
"Russia has come to a dangerous brink, we call on you to step back from it," she said.
The Mexican representative called for the preservation of Ukraine's territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders.
"It's time to get on the path to democracy," she summarized.
Ireland said that "Ukraine has saved face despite numerous provocations by the Russian Federation." Ireland called for the immediate withdrawal of Russian armed forces from Ukrainian territory and the abandonment of actions that lead to escalation.
Ghana's representative, said that "the voices of war are loud, but the voices of peace are even louder. We are already on the brink, but we haven't fallen into the abyss yet.
The representative of Norway expressed concern about the situation in Donbas and stressed that the recognition of the "LDPR" runs counter to the work in the Normandy format and entails the violation of the principles of international law.
At the same time, the representative of the Russian Federation, which now chairs the UN Security Council, said: "I will leave the direct attacks on us without reaction. We hoped that the Maidan regime would come to its senses.
He also said that "the coup d'état of 2014" is to blame for everything, and Kiev does not comply with the "Minsk agreements" and "does not want a diplomatic solution to the conflict."
"The list of representatives is exhausted, the meeting is closed," the UNSC meeting ended with these words.
Almost all of its participants called on Russia to comply with international agreements and to keep Ukraine's territory within internationally recognized borders, and also advocated the withdrawal of Russian troops from the occupied territories.
The UN Security Council on the initiative of Ukraine, which was supported by a number of countries, considers the situation around Ukraine after the Russian Federation recognized the proxy republics of Donbas.
The US, Albania, Ireland, Mexico, Norway, France, the EU, and the UK supported this meeting.
