Andriy Melnyk, Ukraine's Permanent Representative to the UN, called on member states of the United Nations to find a political and legal mechanism to strip Russia of its permanent membership status in the Security Council.
Photo: Ulf Mauder / picture alliance via Getty Images.
Melnyk stated this during the Security Council's open debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflicts, writes the BBC.
According to Melnyk, among all wars and conflicts in the world, Russian aggression against Ukraine "stands out for its cruelty and systematic nature of violence committed against the civilian population.".
"The first four months of this year have become the deadliest period for the Ukrainian civilian population ever," stated the Ukrainian diplomat.
Melnyk recalled that in winter, Russia systematically attacked Ukraine's energy infrastructure, trying "to force millions of civilians to submit through cold.".
"All legal obligations to protect civilians will ultimately remain empty words if acts of aggression and related war crimes are not punished," Melnyk emphasized, calling on Security Council members to find a way to strip Russia of its permanent UN Security Council member status. »