The U.N. Security Council meets after Russia recognized two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine as independent states, in New York City, Feb. 21, 2022.
The U.N. Security Council met in an emergency late night session Monday after Russia’s president signed a declaration recognizing two breakaway regions of Ukraine as independent states.
“The internationally-recognized borders of Ukraine have been and will remain unchangeable, regardless of any statements and actions by the Russian Federation,” Ukraine’s U.N. ambassador Sergiy Kyslytsya told the council of President Vladimir Putin’s recognition of the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.
“We demand from Russia to cancel the decision on recognition and return to the table of negotiations,” he said. “We condemn the order to deploy additional Russian occupation troops in the territories of Ukraine. We demand immediate and complete, verifiable withdrawal of the occupation troops.”
The United States, the European Union and Britain have all announced they are imposing a first round of sanctions on Moscow for the move, which violates international norms and law and Ukraine’s sovereignty. In the Security Council, they reaffirmed their commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty.
“In this moment, no one can stand on the sidelines,” U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said. “We must make it clear that an attack on Ukraine is an attack on the sovereignty of every U.N. member state and the U.N. Charter — and that it will be met with swift and severe consequences.”
She said Washington continues to believe that diplomacy is the only way to resolve the crisis and preserve peace.
(Reuters/VOA)
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