The United States condemned Russia on Monday for launching a nuclear-capable ballistic missile near Ukraine's border with Poland, calling it a "dangerous and inexplicable escalation" as the Trump administration attempts to broker peace negotiations.
US Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations Tammy Bruce told an emergency Security Council meeting that Russia fired an Oreshnik hypersonic missile last Thursday in an overnight bombardment involving hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles.
"At a moment of tremendous potential, due only to President Trump's unparalleled commitment to peace around the world, both sides should be seeking ways to de-escalate," Bruce said. "Yet Russia's action risks expanding and intensifying the war."
Ukraine called Monday's Security Council meeting after the attack, which came days after Kyiv and its allies reported major progress toward agreeing security guarantees if a US-led peace deal is struck.
The bombardment also followed a chill in US-Russia relations after Washington seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the North Atlantic last Wednesday.
Despite months-long peace talks between the Trump administration and Russia, Moscow has given no public signal it is willing to budge from its maximalist demands on Ukraine.
On Monday, Russia's UN ambassador Vassily Nebenzia blamed the diplomatic impasse on Kyiv, stating that until Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy "comes to his senses and agrees to realistic conditions for negotiations," Moscow will continue its war.
Ukraine's UN Ambassador Andriy Melnyk countered that Russia is more vulnerable now than at any time since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022. Its economy is slowing and oil revenue is down.
"Russia wants to sell to this council and the whole UN family the impression that it is invincible, but this is another illusion," he told the council. "The carefully staged image of strength is nothing but smoke and mirrors, completely detached from reality."
Trump has signalled he is on board with a hard-hitting sanctions package meant to economically cripple Russia. European leaders slammed Russia for last week's deadly attack, calling the Oreshnik "escalatory and unacceptable."
Four people were killed and 25 were injured in the attack. Russia first used the Oreshnik in November 2024 when it launched the ballistic missile strike on the central city of Dnipro.
