(UN TV)
US Permanent Representative to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said “it is clear that Putin has a plan to destroy and terrorize Ukraine,” adding that the United States is “concerned that the world must be prepared for a very long and very difficult journey.” forthcoming.”
“If the last two weeks have shown us anything, it is that the Ukrainian people are not going to give up. And many Russians themselves, including many Russian soldiers, do not want this war,” Thomas-Greenfield said at a meeting of the UN Security Council.
Thomas-Greenfield added that “Putin is clearly willing to sacrifice the lives of thousands of Russian soldiers to further his personal ambitions.”
“We have been warning Moscow for weeks that in the end, Russia will become weaker, not stronger, by unleashing this war. This is already being confirmed,” she said. “The question is how much destruction is President Putin prepared to inflict because of this huge mistake.”
In her speech, Thomas-Greenfield said the US was “outraged by the increasing reports of attacks by Moscow harming the civilian population of Ukraine in its unprovoked and unjustified war against the Ukrainian people” and expressed growing concern “for the protection of civilians in this conflict, especially women.” and girls vulnerable to gender-based violence, LGBTQI Ukrainians, as well as the population of Ukraine, the elderly and people with disabilities.”
She said her Polish colleague told her that 100 refugees per minute are moving from Ukraine to Poland.
“We also call for the protection and care of all vulnerable children, including separated and unaccompanied children and children in institutions,” Thomas-Greenfield said, adding: “Children should never, ever be involved in conflict – and the point.
“Children should never be involved in conflict. They must be protected,” she repeated.
“According to UNICEF, we already know that dozens of children died in Putin’s war. And as we work to confirm the cases, we know the actual numbers are actually much higher,” she said. “Young children are also seriously traumatized by violence and destruction. They had witnessed so many things that they stopped talking. The physical and psychological wounds of this war will remain for a long time.”
Thomas-Greenfield described Ukrainian cities “under siege, under relentless shelling from Russia”.
“Hospitals are running out of supplies, food is running low, civilian casualties are on the rise, and the most vulnerable groups — the disabled, the elderly, children — continue to bear the brunt of the suffering. We have already seen the blockade – from Leningrad to Aleppo. These are tragedies of enormous proportions,” she said.
Thomas-Greenfield urged Moscow to provide “a firm, clear, public and unequivocal commitment to allow and facilitate immediate, unhindered humanitarian access for humanitarian partners in Ukraine.”
“In particular, we call on the Russian Federation to agree to and implement in good faith the Ukrainian proposals for humanitarian safe passage with time limits in specific, agreed-upon locations. We call for the establishment of a ground-level warning system that will facilitate the safe movement of humanitarian convoys and flights,” said Thomas-Greenfield.
She also urged “Russia to change course, withdraw its troops, de-escalate through diplomacy” and said the US supports “Ukraine’s call for a ceasefire.”
“In the meantime, we applaud those who are doing everything in their power to alleviate the suffering Putin has inflicted on the Ukrainian people,” she said.
She noted that the United States “is coordinating closely with the government of Ukraine, neighboring countries and international organizations, including in the UN system, to monitor the situation and will work with them to meet humanitarian needs both in Ukraine and in the region.”
“Whatever course the Russian invasion takes, we must do everything – and I stress everything – everything we can do to help the people of Ukraine,” Thomas-Greenfield said.
“Kyiv is standing, and we are together with Kiev,” she concluded. “We are on the side of the Ukrainians.”