The United States has slammed Russia for escalating its war in Ukraine, following recent massive missile and drone attacks on Kyiv and other parts of the country.
At a United Nations Security Council meeting in New York on Monday, US deputy ambassador Tammy Bruce said Russia’s actions risk expanding and intensifying the war, and undermine US President Donald Trump’s efforts at advancing peace negotiations to bring an end to the four-year conflict.
“At a moment of tremendous potential, due only to President Trump’s unparalleled commitment to peace around the world, both sides should be seeking ways to de-escalate,” Bruce suggested.
On Tuesday morning, Russia launched massive drone and missile strikes on Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, leaving as many as four people dead and wounding six more. Missiles also struck the capital, Kyiv, but their impact locations could not be verified. The US expressed alarm over Russia’s use of its latest nuclear-capable Oreshnik ballistic missile last Thursday, which resulted in a “staggering number of casualties” in Ukraine, it said.
Bruce reminded the countries and their backers of the UNSC resolution aimed at ending the conflict in Ukraine. “In the spirit of that resolution, Russia, Ukraine and Europe must pursue peace seriously and bring this nightmare to an end,” she said.
Also Read: EU must engage with Putin to end Ukraine War: EU Commission
Moscow, in its defense, said it had targeted an aviation facility in the Lviv region in western Ukraine, and added that the missile was fired in retaliation against Ukraine’s attack on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s residence in the Novgorod region.
The US administration’s attacks on Venezuela have also not gone down well with Russia, especially since the US forces seized a Russian oil tanker in the Caribbean waters.
The capture of Venezuelan President, Nicolas Maduro, by the US infuriated both Russia and China, which termed it “abduction” and “banditry” and demanded Maduro’s release.
Russia’s UN ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, meanwhile, said that, until Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy “comes to his senses and agrees to realistic conditions for negotiations”, they will continue solving the problem through “military means”.
“He [Zelenskyy] was warned long ago; with each passing day, each day which he squanders, the conditions for negotiations will only get worse for him,” Nebenzia added.
Ukraine’s UN ambassador, Andrii Melnyk, said in response that Russia is “more vulnerable than ever before”.
According to independent sources, Ukraine has suffered immense casualties in the war, with the country’s resources, including men and machinery, getting depleting. The EU has had to come to support Ukraine’s faltering economy and military strength since.
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