“The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war is the largest and deadliest war in Europe since World War II,” stated Ambassador Shea, Acting U.S. Representative to the United Nations. It continues to rage on, and the death toll and destruction in both Ukraine and Russia continue to grow. “This is a devastating war that should never have started,” stressed Ambassador Shea in remarks to the UN General Assembly.
That is why the United States, under President Donald Trump’s leadership has undertaken exceptional efforts to bring this war to an end, said Ambassador Shea.
“President Trump met face-to-face with Russian President [Vladimir] Putin in Alaska on August 15 and then hosted Ukrainian President Zelenskyy and seven other European leaders at the White House on August 18 to build on the progress of multiple rounds of talks. The next step is for Russia and Ukraine’s leaders to meet bilaterally, and ultimately to agree on an end to the fighting.”
But instead, just days after President Trump welcomed President Putin on American soil to discuss ending the war, Russia launched the second largest aerial attack on Ukraine since the war began, hitting Ukrainian homes, as well as buildings housing the European Union Delegation and the British Council. “Strikes on civilian areas must stop immediately,” said Ambassador Shea.
Moreover, she noted, these continued onslaughts cast doubt on the seriousness of Russia’s desire for peace.
While the United States continues its efforts to encourage direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, it should be noted that the war did not begin with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
At that point, Russia had already illegally purported to annex Crimea and had occupied Ukrainian sovereign territory for eight years.
The United Nations, stressed Ambassador Shea, was established to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war.
“We call on Russia to fulfill its obligations and both parties to negotiate in good faith and end the war in a durable manner through diplomacy.”
“We urge all UN Member States,” said Ambassador Shea, “to join the United States in demanding an immediate, durable, and lasting end to a war of choice that is devastating lives and destroying two countries.”
