Capitals: Europe and the Arabs
The United Nations Security Council met late Saturday evening following reports of a Ukrainian attack on the Russian city of Belgorod, located 40 kilometers north of the Ukrainian border. At least 21 civilians were killed, and more than 110 others were injured on Saturday. According to what the Belgian News Agency reported on Sunday morning.
“We unequivocally condemn all attacks on cities, towns and villages in Ukraine and the Russian Federation,” Khaled Khiari, Assistant Secretary-General of the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, said during the emergency meeting called by Russia. .
The session took place less than 24 hours after the Council held a meeting in the wake of Russia's large-scale attacks on Ukrainian towns and cities. Al-Khayari stressed that “attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure violate international humanitarian law, are unacceptable and must end now.”
Russian Ambassador Vasily Nebenzia said that downtown Belgorod had suffered damage to a sports centre, an ice rink and a university. He added: "This is a deliberate act of terrorism."
Council members urge Russia to end the war
While UN Council members condemned the Ukrainian attacks, they were quick to point out that if Russia had not started the war, this meeting would not have taken place.
French Ambassador Nicolas de Rivière, UK Representative Thomas Patrick Phipps and US Representative John Kelly were among the voices urging Russia to withdraw from Ukrainian territory and end the war. “As long as Russia persists, the United States will support Ukraine in its right to defend itself,” Kelly said.
China's representative, Geng Shuang, also expressed concern about the protracted war, saying: "There are no winners in conflict," reiterating China's willingness to work toward a peaceful solution.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities reported new Russian drone attacks overnight targeting the Kherson region. “As the war continues, we will see more Ukrainian and Russian civilians killed and wounded,” Khiari said. “Protecting civilians must be the main priority. The fighting and bloodshed must stop. The war must end.”