‘Give Peace a Chance’: U.N. Secretary-General Makes Futile Plea to Putin Not to Invade Ukraine
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres pleaded with Russian President Vladimir Putin to halt any planned offensives in Ukraine during impassioned remarks on Wednesday.
It did not work.
U.S. officials warned earlier in the evening that Russian troops would launch a large-scale attack, possibly within hours. An emergency U.N. Security Council meeting was convened in response.
Addressing Putin directly, Guterres spoke of the day’s events:
“The day was full of rumors and indications that… an offensive against Ukraine was imminent,” he said. “In the recent past, there were several situations with similar indications, similar rumors.
“And I never believed in them, convinced that nothing serious would happen. I was wrong. And I would like not to be wrong again today. So, if indeed an operation is being prepared, I have only one thing to say from the bottom of my heart: President Putin, stop your troops from attacking Ukraine.”
Guterres then offered another futile plea to Putin.
“Give peace a chance,” he said. “Too many people have already died.”
Moments later, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Linda Thomas-Greenfield, addressed the council and conveyed a message from President Joe Biden.
She said,
Colleagues, a few moments ago, I spoke to President Biden, who asked me to convey in the strongest possible terms his and our steadfast support for Ukraine and support for the urgent meeting this council has convened tonight. Furthermore, he asked me to share that the United States and our allies and partners will continue to respond to Russia’s actions with unity, with clarity and with conviction. We are here tonight because we believe, along with Ukraine, that a full-scale further invasion into Ukraine by Russia is imminent.
About 20 minutes after Thomas-Greenfield spoke, CNN’s Matthew Chance was reporting in Kyiv when the sound of explosives compelled him to put on a flak jacket and helmet.
CNN’s Clarissa Ward, who was reporting from Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine roughly 300 miles away, also reported she had heard explosions.
Meanwhile, CNN’s Frederik Pleitgen, reporting from inside the Belgorod Region of Russia, also reported hearing explosions.
The source of the explosions remains unclear.
Watch above, via CNN.
