Debate in the UN Security Council
Kremlin threatens Kiev with “extremely dangerous consequences”
2/22/2022 5:36 am
Due to the escalating situation in the Ukraine crisis, the UN Security Council is convening for an emergency meeting. During the debate, Russia sent a clear threatening message to Kiev. However, their ambassador is not impressed.
Russia has threatened Ukraine with further consequences in the event of military provocations after recognizing the Luhansk and Donetsk regions. Kiev has “military plans” and would shell and provoke Luhansk and Donetsk. After Moscow’s recognition, this could have “extremely dangerous consequences,” said Russian Ambassador to the UN Vasily Nebensya at a short-term emergency meeting of the UN Security Council in New York on Monday evening (local time). “We remain open to diplomacy for a diplomatic solution. But we have no intention of allowing a new bloodbath in Donbass.”
The ambassador blamed the Ukrainian leadership for the escalation. Kiev’s refusal to negotiate directly with the separatists showed that it did not want to fulfill the Minsk agreement. To avoid war, Ukraine must now be forced to end its provocations.
“We don’t give anyone anything”
During the debate in the UN Security Council, Ukraine invoked resistance. “We will stand firm. We are on our own ground. We are not afraid of anything or anyone. We do not owe anyone anything and we do not give anything to anyone,” said Ukraine’s UN Ambassador Serhiy Kyslytsia. It’s “not February 2014. It’s February 2022,” he said, referring to Russia’s annexation of Crimea.
The US ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, called Putin’s declaration of the Russian soldiers as peacekeepers “complete nonsense”. She said, “We know what they really are.” For weeks, the United States has accused Russia of trying to create a pretext for an invasion of Ukraine – including by making false claims about alleged attacks by Ukrainian government troops.
Germany is threatening economic consequences
The German side said the Kremlin had revealed its true intentions in the region with its recent actions. “Russia has repeatedly insisted that it is not involved in the (Ukraine) conflict. Today it exposed itself and shows that it always was,” said German UN Ambassador Antje Leendertse. Together with its allies, Germany will take “decisive and appropriate measures” to respond to Russia’s violation of international law. This will have serious economic, political and geostrategic consequences.
Great Britain warned of a humanitarian disaster. “An invasion of Ukraine will unleash the forces of war, death and destruction against the people of Ukraine. The humanitarian impact will be terrible for civilians fleeing the fighting,” said British Ambassador to the UN, Barbara Woodward. Women and children would suffer the most. “Russia has brought us to the abyss. We call on Russia to take a step back.”
China, on the other hand, called on all parties to the conflict to exercise “restraint” in the Security Council. “All parties concerned must exercise restraint and avoid anything that could fuel tensions,” said Chinese Ambassador to the UN Zhang Jun. “We believe that all countries resolve international disputes through peaceful means in line with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter should.”