The humanitarian crisis in Ukraine is worsening, a senior United Nations official told the Security Council today, as she both welcomed diplomatic progress and expressed deep alarm over rising attacks on civilians and severe cuts to global humanitarian funding.
"Since 1 March, not a day has passed without an attack harming civilians," Joyce Msuya, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, told the 15-member Council. The regions of Sumy, Odesa, Dnipro, Donetsk and Kharkiv have been hit especially hard in recent weeks, with extensive damage to homes, shops, warehouses and vehicles.
Meanwhile, global funding cuts for humanitarian operations - including for Ukraine - are further reducing the UN's capacity to provide life-saving aid. While the announcement of a ceasefire on energy infrastructure and discussions regarding safe navigation in the Black Sea are positive steps, she noted that the impact of past attacks continue to undermine civilians' access to electricity, gas, heating and water as the harsh winter persists.
"We are deeply concerned by the human cost of continued fighting," she said, noting that, as of 24 February 2022, at least 12,881 civilians - including 681 children - have been killed in Ukraine. The true toll is likely much higher. She reiterated that the protection of infrastructure critical to civilian survival is imperative, and that indiscriminate attacks are unequivocally prohibited under international law.
And with almost 13 million people in Ukraine in need of humanitarian aid, she warned against funding cuts that could threaten vital services - including gender-based-violence support and safe spaces for 640,000 affected women and girls. Thus far, only 17 per cent of the $2.6 billion needed for Ukraine's 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan has been received. Against that backdrop, she urged the international community to enforce compliance with international law, secure funding to save lives and push for an end to the war - all while ensuring that humanitarian needs remain central to peace talks.
Speakers Express Concern over Increasing Attacks on Civilians, Urge Moscow to Demonstrate Commitment to Peace
During the discussion that ensued, many speakers expressed concern over growing attacks on civilians in Ukraine. "The death and destruction caused by this war are tremendous," said Slovenia's delegate, noting the over 42,000 verified casualties and reconstruction costs exceeding $500 billion. Three years on, and the fighting does not seem to be diminishing - in February 2025, civilian casualties increased by 35 per cent compared to February 2024. "Every human life matters and is not merely a number," added Pakistan's delegate, welcoming deals reached between Ukraine and the Russian Federation banning the targeting of energy sites and ensuring safe navigation in the Black Sea.
While also noting progress on those fronts, other speakers continued to call on the Russian Federation to demonstrate its commitment to peace, with France's delegate highlighting "the gaping disconnect between [the Russian Federation's] actions and words". Romania's delegate pointed out that "the dialogue efforts and the proposals in the last weeks are yet to be met by deeds", spotlighting new attacks by the Russian Federation since the night of 21 March.
"It is now for Russia to show its willingness to achieve peace," said the representative of the European Union, in its capacity as observer, adding: "There can be no negotiations on Ukraine without Ukraine, and no negotiations that affect European security without Europe." Finland's delegate, speaking also for Denmark, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, echoed that, also expressing concern that limited humanitarian access makes it hard for humanitarian workers to deliver life-saving aid - especially in front-line areas.
"A ceasefire seems not to be enough," observed Greece's delegate, adding that peace should only be possible "with credible and robust security guarantees, which will deter and prevent the recurrence of war in the future". Any peace must be more than a mere pause that allows the aggressor to rearm and strike again - as it has done before - Poland's delegate underscored. "We must have enduring peace in Ukraine," stressed the representative of the United Kingdom, adding that, until Moscow's forces withdraw from Ukraine, "the United Kingdom will continue to work with Kyiv to achieve a just and lasting peace".
Meanwhile, the representative of the Republic of Korea said that interviews with soldiers from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea captured in Kursk show men deceived and told they were being sent to Moscow for training. "Pyongyang must stop sacrificing its own people to sustain the regime in exchange for military, political and economic support from Moscow," he stressed.
The representative of Denmark, Council President for March, spoke in her national capacity to describe the latest report by the UN's Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine as a "grim catalogue of crimes against humanity" perpetrated by the Russian Federation's forces against civilians. Lithuania's delegate, also speaking for Estonia and Latvia, drew attention to the 4,000 cases against the Russian Federation in the European Court of Human Rights, all related to events in Crimea, Donbas and the wider war against Ukraine.
Russian Federation, Ukraine Acknowledge Limited Ceasefire Agreements while Expressing Reservations
For his part, the representative of the Russian Federation said that the European Union and the United Kingdom are trying to thwart efforts by his country and the United States to settle the Ukrainian crisis. He went on to say that Moscow's air forces target only military sites, and that civilian casualties in Ukraine occur because Kyiv stores ammunition in residential areas. He also stated that Ukraine's European supporters ignore the crimes committed by Kyiv, reiterating that Moscow's military operation started three years ago to end the war being waged on fellow Russians.
Regarding the agreement concerning the Black Sea, he said that this will go into effect only after a series of measures are adopted - including the lifting of sanctions against some Russian Federation banks. And while agreement has been reached to ban strikes on energy sites both in Ukraine and in the Russian Federation, Kyiv continues to violate that agreement. "The Russian Federation reserves the right to respond should the Kyiv regime continue on this destructive course," he emphasized.
Further, he asked those present if they would prefer to either continue providing weapons to "private-military-company Ukraine", or to join the Russian Federation and the United States to "find a long-term solution that would address the root causes of the Ukraine crisis and strengthen security in Europe and the world over".
"Moscow speaks of peace while launching brutal strikes almost daily on densely populated residential areas" in her country, Ukraine's delegate said, adding that the Russian Federation launched - in the first half of March alone - hundreds of strikes against her people, using approximately 2,800 guided aerial bombs, nearly 2,000 attack drones and over 100 missiles of various types. Moscow has also sought to block Ukrainian ports on the Black Sea, forcibly transferred Ukrainian children to its territory and that of Belarus, and made use of munitions containing hazardous chemicals.
While welcoming the United States' mediation and Saudi Arabia's hospitality, and reaffirming her country's commitment to peace, she underscored: "We won't accept peace at any price." Ukraine will not recognize any of its temporarily occupied territories as belonging to the Russian Federation, and Kyiv will not agree to any foreign diktat regarding the structure or other characteristics of its defence forces.
While Ukraine has agreed to a ceasefire regarding energy facilities and in the Black Sea, she warned that this does not extend to Russian Federation warships that enter Ukraine's territorial waters. "Everyone should focus on Russian actions, not their statements," she urged, noting that the coming days will be critical in determining "whether Russia is serious about peace or intends to deceive the United States and the world".
Nevertheless, Speakers Point to Path towards Peace
"The war must end now," the representative of the United States stressed, as she commended both the Russian Federation and Ukraine for taking the first steps towards a ceasefire. If fully implemented, the agreements concerning energy infrastructure and the Black Sea will open a path towards peace. "We call on both sides to abide by these agreements and expand on them," she said.
Some speakers expressed optimism about the talks under way in Riyadh. "A window of peace is opening," said China's delegate, welcoming recent negotiations that the Russian Federation and Ukraine have had bilaterally with the United States. Positive progress was made on numerous issues, he said. Algeria's delegate, welcoming progress, as well, added that a lasting peace must consider the legitimate concerns of both parties. The representative of Panama, noting that maritime security is fundamental to his country, expressed optimism about the steps towards a cessation of hostilities in the Black Sea.
Similarly, the representative of Somalia said that the agreement to ensure safe navigation in the Black Sea represents a practical step towards reducing tensions and protecting vital economic infrastructure. The recent breakthrough is "creating tangible momentum towards de-escalation", he said. "Even as we celebrate the modest breakthroughs," Guyana's delegate warned that the slightest misstep could doom millions of civilians to even more bombardment and displacement. Sierra Leone's representative observed that "cautious hope has begun to emerge", but highlighted the severe impact already had on children - trauma from constant shelling, loss of loved ones, displacement and abduction.
"Even when bombings subside, the scars of war remain," said the Permanent Observer for the Sovereign Order of Malta, pointing to the need for psychological support for those affected by war-related trauma. Ukraine's health system will need restoring, he said, adding that it is also crucial to facilitate the safe and dignified return of displaced families. "The land must be restored and made habitable," he added, as the detritus of war is cleared away.
Quoting Pope Francis, he asked those present: "Can we get out of this spiral of sorrow and death? Can we once more walk and live in the ways of peace? I would like for each one of us - from the least to the greatest, including those who are called to govern nations - to respond in one voice: 'Yes, we want peace.'"
