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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Arpan Rai,Lydia Patrick and Jane Dalton

Ukraine-Russia war – live: Zelensky accuses Putin of ‘criminal and unprovoked aggression’ violating UN charter

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Zelensky says ‘Russian society has raised a second Hitler’ in attack on Putin

Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky has accused the UN of being incapable of preventing aggressors invading other countries, as he accused Russia of committing “criminal and unprovoked aggression”.

Coming face-to-face with Vladimir Putin’s ambassador to the UN for the first time since his country was invaded, Mr Zelensky told a special meeting of the UN’s security council that the aggression violated both the norms of war and the UN Charter itself.

And he made an impassioned call for reform of the General Assembly and Security Council to end Russia’s war on his country.

He urged reform of the world body, saying: “Humankind no longer pins its hopes on the UN when it comes to the defence of the sovereign border of nations.”

The General Assembly should remove Russia’s veto power on the Security Council, he insisted, adding: “It is impossible to stop the war because all efforts are vetoed by the aggressor.”

His proposals include expanding membership of the security council to include Germany and the African Union, among others.

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