Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky detailed Russian atrocities and described a sweeping peace plan to end the war in an address to the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday.
“How can we allow the Russian army somewhere on Ukrainian soil, knowing that they are committing such mass murder everywhere?” Mr Zelensky asked. “We cannot. We must protect life. The world must protect life.”
He called on the international community to temporarily strip Russia of its UN powers, continue sanctions, and establish a special tribunal to oversee the peace process.
Joe Biden condemned Russia for making “overt nuclear threats against Europe” in a a speech of his own on Wednesday, as European foreign ministers convened an urgent meeting to discuss Russian mobilisation.
Mr Biden said Russia was carrying out a “brutal, needless war” against Ukraine as he announced support for countries impacted by food shortages that have resulted from the invasion.
His speech comes a day after Russian president Vladimir Putin announced a partial mobilisation of 300,000 reservists as his forces struggle to regain their footing after a series of Ukrainian victories on the battlefield.
Russia's war in Ukraine dominated the first day of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) as world leaders gathered for the summit in person after three years in New York.
UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres said the 77th meeting was taking place at a time when the world is in "great peril" and "paralyzed" due to the war, climate chaos, hate, poverty and inequality. World leaders denounced Russia's invasion.
