UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres renewed his call for an immediate halt to violence on the 100th day of the war in Ukraine.
The UN chief also called for urgent protection for civilians, unfettered access to provide them with humanitarian aid and safely evacuate those trapped by fighting, and respect for human rights.
“The conflict has already taken thousands of lives, caused untold destruction, displaced millions of people, resulted in unacceptable violations of human rights and is inflaming a three-dimensional global crisis – food, energy and finance – that is pummelling the most vulnerable people, countries and economies,” Guterres said in a statement on Friday.
From the first days of the war, he said the United Nations has been supporting the Ukrainian people trying to deal with its humanitarian impact “while also drawing attention to the dangers and long-term implications of continued fighting and potential escalation of hostilities for the country, the wider region and the world.”
The secretary-general said the UN remains committed to the humanitarian effort, “but as I have stressed from the beginning, resolving this conflict will require negotiations and dialogue.”
“The sooner the parties engage in good-faith diplomatic efforts to end this war, the better for the sake of Ukraine, Russia and the world,” Guterres said.
US President Joe Biden said on Friday he thinks a “negotiated settlement” will be necessary to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Asked whether Ukraine should give up some of its territory to Russia in order to end the war and bring peace to the region, Biden said his policy continues to be that the United States will not make any decisions about Ukraine without Ukraine.
But the US leader also said “it appears to me that at some point along the line there’s going to have to be a negotiated settlement here.” He said he does not know what such an agreement would look like but that the U.S. will continue to help Ukrainians defend themselves.
Russia now controls almost one-fifth of the country, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said this week.
But Zelenskyy remained defiant in a video message marking 100 days of war.
“We have defended Ukraine for 100 days already,” he said. “Victory will be ours!”
