(TheIndependentStar.com) – In a strong address to the UN Security Council, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has urged a wide alliance of nations to “force Russia into peace,” emphasizing that Vladimir Putin has undermined the principles of the United Nations.
Speaking to the council, which includes Russia as a permanent member, Zelensky charged Moscow with committing “international crimes” by targeting Ukrainian civilians and energy facilities.
He asserted he had evidence that Putin plans to attack three Ukrainian nuclear power plants, which would further damage the nation’s energy network.
After expressing gratitude to Ukraine’s allies for their support, the Ukrainian leader reached out to nations beyond, including Brazil, India, and countries in Africa and Latin America.
He urged them to apply more pressure on Russia to cease the conflict, stating that “all [countries] are equally important for peace without exceptions.”
Many of these nations maintain economic or diplomatic relations with Russia and have lent more weight to Putin’s assertions that the West provoked Russia into the conflict.
“We know some in the world want to talk to Putin. To meet, to talk, to speak. But what could they possibly hear from him? That he’s upset because we are exercising our right to defend our people? Or that he wants to keep the war and terror going, just so no one thinks he was wrong?” Zelensky remarked.
“It’s insane,” he added, cited by The Guardian.
Later in the week, Zelenskyy will visit the White House to meet with Joe Biden and discuss his “victory plan”—a strategy for Ukraine to end the war with increased support from the West.
In his speech, he noted that more pressure is necessary to achieve peace with Russia, which has “been doing things that cannot possibly be justified under the UN charter.”
“That’s why this war can’t be conquered by talks,” Zelenskyy stated.
“Action is needed … Putin has broken so many international laws and rules that he won’t stop. Russia can only be forced into peace, and that is exactly what’s needed, forcing Russia into peace as the soul aggressor in this war, the soul violator of the UN charter,” he said further.
In an ABC interview on Tuesday, Zelensky said Ukraine asked for more support from the West to triumph in the war, though he acknowledged that the time for negotiations was approaching.
He has consistently urged the US and UK to lift their bans on the use of long-range missiles against deep targets within Russia, despite concerns from the Biden-Harris administration that such attacks could escalate the conflict further.
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