Pakistan has called for the resumption of diplomatic efforts towards an immediate and complete cessation of hostilities between Ukraine and Russia, as civilians continue to bear the brunt of the four-year-old conflict. Ambassador Usman Jadoon, Pakistan's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, made the appeal during a UN Security Council meeting on Monday, emphasizing the need for dialogue and diplomacy over military solutions.
Pakistan's Stance at the UN Security Council
“We firmly believe that for sustainable peace to return to the region, primacy must be given to dialogue and diplomacy, eschewing the quest for military ascendency,” Ambassador Jadoon told the 15-member Council. The meeting was requested by Ukraine to discuss what Kyiv described as a massive wave of Russian missile and drone strikes. Five Council members—Denmark, France, Greece, Latvia, and the United Kingdom—supported the request.
“There has been no good news, unfortunately, as the vicious cycle of attacks continues to aggravate the long-drawn conflict in Ukraine,” the Pakistani delegate said, noting that the situation is further compounding the humanitarian crisis and piling on agony for civilians and infrastructure.
Call for De-escalation and Dialogue
Ambassador Jadoon urged reversing “this perilous momentum,” stating that the primary responsibility rests with the parties involved. He underscored the need to build trust and create conditions conducive to reviving the dialogue process. “We reiterate our call for an immediate and complete cessation of hostilities, and the resumption of the United States-facilitated dialogue process,” he said. A mutually acceptable settlement consistent with the UN Charter and the legitimate security interests of all sides, as well as relevant multilateral agreements, is the only viable path to lasting peace.
Humanitarian Toll and Civilian Casualties
Opening the debate, Khaled Khiari, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations, reported that since Russia's invasion began in February 2022, at least 16,126 civilians, including 796 children, have been killed in Ukraine. On 15 June, Russia launched another massive strike on Ukraine, hitting Kyiv and several regions with dozens of missiles and hundreds of drones. The attack also damaged historic sites, including an eleventh-century Dormition Cathedral, a Ukrainian spiritual and cultural landmark.
Khiari also expressed concern about the war's impact on civilians in territories under temporary Russian occupation, including the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, as well as on civilians in Russia. He noted that on 18 June, 17 people, including children, were reportedly injured in a Ukrainian drone strike—the largest such attack targeting Moscow and surrounding areas since the war began. According to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), at least 274 civilians were killed and 1,763 injured in Ukraine last month alone. “We reiterate our firm condemnation of all such attacks,” Khiari said.
Humanitarian Imperatives
Edem Wosornu, Director of the Crisis Response Division in the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, stressed that “the choices made [in the Council] can mean lives saved or lives lost.” She called on the Council to ensure all parties comply with international human rights law obligations. The second imperative, she said, is to provide timely, flexible funding. Without it, “the consequences fall on the most vulnerable and least able to move out of harm’s way.”
