The UN Security Council meeting will be held in New York on Thursday evening. There, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre in Norway says the UN pact is under attack, while Foreign Minister Antony Blinken in the US says Russia’s allies are also seriously concerned.
– Several countries that maintain close ties to Moscow have also publicly stated that they are seriously concerned about President Putin’s ongoing invasion, Blinken says and continues:
– But instead of changing course, President Putin has redoubled his efforts. He chose to prolong the war instead of ending it.
– UNACCEPTABLE: Jonas Gahr Støre came out harshly against Russia in his Security Council speech on Thursday 22 September. sea View
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Putin’s possible plan
Blinken then points to nuclear weapons threats, which he believes should cease immediately.
– Putin said this week that he will not hesitate to use all available weapons. This is to respond to threats to Russia’s territorial integrity, says Blinken, who also believes he has revealed Putin’s plan:
– An even more dangerous threat considering that Russia plans to annex much of Ukraine in the coming days. Once the work is complete, we can expect President Putin to say that any attempt to liberate these areas is an attack on so-called Russian territory.
It won’t be close to Lavrov
Prior to the meeting, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said he will maintain a “physical safety distance” from Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, according to Reuters news agency.
UN Secretary General António Guterres opened the meeting by stressing that it is “totally unacceptable” to discuss a potential nuclear war. He also believes that the latest developments in Ukraine are “dangerous and disturbing”.
– The world cannot afford a nuclear disaster, says Guterres of the fighting around nuclear power plants in Ukraine.
RAIN FLAMES: These dramatic images are expected to show termite bombs over the city of Ozerne in the Donetsk region of Ukraine. Video: @ Defense of Ukraine. Journalist: Emma Dalen. sea View
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– The UN pact under attack
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre says the rules set out in the UN Charter are under attack.
– Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine is a clear violation of international law, including the UN Charter, says Støre.
Furthermore, Støre says he listened carefully to Putin’s speech on Wednesday morning.
– There, Putin announced a major escalation of the war and justified it with a long list of accusations that Russia is threatened by the West.
– Let me tell you as clearly as possible: these allegations are not true. There is no military threat to Russia. There is no legitimate reason to initiate a mass mobilization of Russian forces. This escalation will only cause more suffering for both Ukrainians and Russians.
RESPONSIBILITY: Jens Stoltenberg tells the Dagbladet reporter that Joe Biden’s speech was important and that the United States takes responsibility for the world. Video and reporter: Vegard Kvaale / Dagbladet TV. sea View
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Norway condemns
Støre goes on to say that Ukrainian civilians were transported against their will to Russia or to areas occupied by the Russians. Furthermore, he refers to stories of sexual violence used as weapons.
– This must be condemned as strongly as possible, says Støre and continues:
– We also condemn the so-called planned referendums in the Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine.
Towards the end, Støre says the following:
– This war is a disaster for Ukraine and its people. The ripple effects will have serious consequences for vulnerable people and communities around the world. But it is also harmful to Russia, our neighbor, says Støre and continues:
– Thousands of Russian soldiers were sent to death in an unnecessary and illegal war. Russian citizens are increasingly denied freedom and fundamental rights in a society governed in an increasingly authoritarian way. If the Russians – and we know them – could have freely expressed their opinion, would they have chosen war? I doubt it.
The Security Council meeting is in progress and can be watched in the video window at the top of the article. Dagbladet updates the article continuously.
