At a high-level meeting of the UN Security Council, Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga addressed Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, contrasting Moscow’s plans to swiftly capture Kyiv with the consequences of four years of war for Russia. He stated that 14 out of 15 Security Council members support a ceasefire, and called for humanitarian corridors to be established for the occupied town of Oleshky.
Briefly about the main points
- Sibiga compared Russia’s initial plans for Kyiv with the consequences of the war for Moscow.
- The minister described Russia as the party obstructing the ceasefire.
- Ukraine is calling for humanitarian access and the evacuation of residents of Oleshky.
- The statement in support of the ceasefire was not the result of a vote.
- Kyiv insists that Russia is unlawfully occupying the USSR’s seat on the Security Council.
The question of Moscow as an assessment of the consequences of the war
Siberia said Laurel: «You wanted to take Kyiv in three days. How is it that, four years on, Moscow is burning?»
In this statement, he contrasted Moscow’s initial calculations regarding a swift capture of the Ukrainian capital with the consequences of a protracted war for Russia itself. This was a political assessment by the Ukrainian minister, rather than a description of a specific attack or fire in the Russian capital.
On 20 September, Sibiga had already publicly called for Vladimir Putin to look out from the Kremlin at the fires above Moscow and end the war.
The proposal for a ceasefire was not part of the vote
The head of Ukrainian diplomacy stated that almost all members of the Security Council support the ceasefire, whilst Moscow, he said, is blocking both this step and a broader peaceful settlement.
The ratio cited by Sibiga reflects his assessment of the positions of the member states, rather than the outcome of the vote on a specific resolution. At the meeting on 23 September, the European members of the Security Council also planned to call for a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire.
The discussion on a general ceasefire should be distinguished from the separate discussion on a possible moratorium on strikes against energy infrastructure. As of 23 September, no agreement had been reached on such an arrangement.
Humanitarian access to Oleshky
Sybiga called on the international community to demand that Russia open humanitarian corridors to the occupied town of Oleshky in the Kherson region. He had previously appealed to partners to ensure access for humanitarian aid and the evacuation of local residents.
Monitoring UN mission In June, the Human Rights Organisation reported on the critical situation facing civilians in the frontline, occupied communities of the Kherson region. According to the commission, there had been no food deliveries to Oleshky since 26 May, whilst drones and the risk of landmines were hampering evacuation efforts and the delivery of essential supplies.
The UN reiterated the occupying power’s obligation to provide the population with food and medical supplies and, where necessary, to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid.
Ukraine is calling for a review of Russia’s status at the UN
The minister also stated that Russia is unlawfully occupying the USSR’s seat on the UN Security Council and should therefore be expelled from it.
Russia is currently officially listed by the UN as one of the five permanent members of the Security Council. Ukraine has consistently contested the legitimacy of this status, emphasising that Moscow did not follow the accession procedure laid down in the UN Charter.
The call for Russia’s exclusion is Kyiv’s position. No practical decision has been taken by the UN regarding a change to the Russian Federation’s status on the Security Council.
