Michael Waltz criticized Russia's attitude during Thursday's debate at the UN Security Council on the war in Ukraine. He said the US presented Russia with “generous” conditions, including the withdrawal of sanctions, to encourage it to end the war and enter into direct negotiations with Ukraine.
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What did the US ambassador say at the UN?
What conditions did the US present to Russia?
What are the consequences of Ukraine's counterattack for Russia?
What did the representative of Ukraine say about the occupied territories?
“Unfortunately, the fighting continues, tragically bringing more civilian casualties, and we are currently witnessing incursions into the airspace of third countries, including our NATO allies, which threatens to expand the conflict,” said the American ambassador. “Ukraine's counterattacks, in turn, have hit Russia's energy sector and other critical infrastructure, further limiting Russia's ability to fuel its war economy,” he added.
Michael Waltz: We call for a ceasefire
A former adviser to President Trump again called on both countries for a ceasefire. He also recalled that the US called on countries to stop purchasing Russian energy resources and threatened that Washington may implement further sanctions.
“If Russia continues to ignore calls for a ceasefire, we will also continue to provide weapons to the Ukrainian armed forces,” he said. He also called on Russia to ensure the return of Ukrainian children taken from the occupied territories.
The Russian ambassador to the UN, Vasily Nebenzia, in his speech focused, among others, on: on a corruption scandal within the Ukrainian president's circle and criticized calls for a ceasefire, claiming that their aim was to give Ukrainian forces a rest. He also argued that Russian troops are moving forward on all fronts.
Ukraine: our land is not for sale
The representative of Ukraine, Chrystyna Hayowyshyn, in turn, referred to the American peace plan presented on Thursday in Kiev by Secretary of Land Forces Dan Driscoll. She stated that Ukraine agreed to work on the provisions of the plan, but stipulated that Ukraine would not budge on key issues.
— There will never be a formal or unofficial recognition of the territory of Ukraine temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation as Russian territory – our land is not for sale. Ukraine will not accept any restrictions on the right to self-defense or a reduction in the number and potential of our armed forces. We will also not tolerate any violations of our sovereignty, including our sovereign right to choose the alliances we want to join, Hajowyszyn said.
The Polish ambassador to the UN, Krzysztof Szczerski, also took part in the debate and drew attention to, among others, to the latest Russian acts of sabotage against the railway infrastructure in Poland.
— These were the most serious acts of sabotage against Poland since the beginning of Russia's wide-scale aggression against Ukraine, said the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Poland to the United Nations. — Fortunately, the tragedy was prevented, but another boundary was crossed. These actions prove that Russia is spreading its aggression to other countries in the region, he emphasized.
