António Guterres, secretary-general of the United Nations, addresses the UN Security Council during a meeting about the ongoing situation in Ukraine on May 5 in New York City. Photo: Spencer Platt via Getty Images
UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Thursday doubled down on calls for an end to Russia's unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, calling it "senseless in its scope, ruthless in its dimensions and limitless in its potential for global harm."
Driving the news: The devastation has already had far-reaching consequences for global food security, said Guterres in remarks to the UN Security Council.
What he's saying: The invasion "must end for the sake of the people of Ukraine, Russia and the entire world," Guterres said.
- "I hope that the continued coordination with Moscow and Kyiv will lead to more humanitarian pauses to allow civilians safe passage from the fighting and aid to reach those in critical need."
- "We must continue to do all we can to get people out of these hellscapes," he added, noting the UN's efforts to help evacuate civilians.
- The war in Ukraine is "exacerbating extreme vulnerabilities for the developing world," he said, pointing to recent food insecurity crises in West Africa.
- "The cycle of death, destruction, dislocation and disruption must stop. It is high time to unite and end this war."
Worth noting: Guterres spoke with both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in separate meetings in late April. He said he did not "mince words" in those discussions.
- More than 300 civilians were evacuated from the besieged Mariupol area on Wednesday as part of a three-day daytime ceasefire pledge.
- Russia has committed at least 9,800 war crimes since the start of its invasion, Ukraine's Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova said Thursday.
Go deeper... Dashboard: Russian invasion of Ukraine