REMARKS OF ASSISTANT-SECRETARY-GENERAL MARTHA POBEE
TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL ON
MAINTENANCE OF INTERNATIONAL PEACE AND SECURITY
New York, 29 JUNE 2026
Madam President,
This is the seventh time in six weeks that the Council has convened in relation to the war in Ukraine and its impact on international peace and security.
The frequency of these meetings reflects the dangerous escalation of this war and the heightened risks of further deterioration, with regional and global implications.
Over the past few weeks, the intensity and scope of attacks by the Russian Federation against Ukraine have increased significantly, causing greater civilian casualties and damage. Only today, at least 15 people were reportedly killed across Ukraine due to Russian aerial strikes.
Escalating attacks have also been reported in the areas of Ukraine under the temporary occupation of the Russian Federation.
In the Russian-occupied Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol of Ukraine, reported Ukrainian drone strikes have led the occupying Russian authorities to declare a state of emergency, including due to fuel and water shortages.
Drone strikes on industrial, military and energy sites have also reportedly continued to result in civilian casualties inside the Russian Federation.
As we briefed this Council, on 17 June, a drone strike reportedly hit a bus carrying a Belarusian youth soccer team in the Bryansk region of the Russian Federation. According to Russian and Belarusian authorities, one pregnant woman was killed and nine people, six of them children, were injured.
The United Nations does not have additional information about the incident.
Madam President,
Civilians must be protected.
We firmly condemn all attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, wherever they occur. They are prohibited under international humanitarian law. They must stop immediately.
Madam President,
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than four years ago, the war has stoked tensions and instability across Europe.
In countries neighboring Ukraine and the Russian Federation, reports of airspace violations and drone sightings have become frequent.
Such incidents have been reported by the authorities in Moldova, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Finland, Poland and Belarus, as well as in countries in the wider region - Bulgaria, Greece, Kazakhstan and Türkiye.
As we have previously briefed this Council, Romania reported first civilian injuries caused by a drone in May. At the time, we expressed our concern about the risk of further regional fallout.
More recently, concerns regarding potential escalation related to Belarus have increased.
To that end, we are alarmed by the recent escalatory rhetoric and potential for further spillover of this war. Everything must be done to prevent this from happening. We therefore urge the Russian Federation, Ukraine, and all concerned Member States to avoid any steps that could cause this war – either intentionally or unintentionally – to spread further.
We renew our appeal for dialogue and diplomacy to immediately de-escalate tensions and prevent an even greater conflagration.
We encourage all regional stakeholders to contribute to ongoing peace efforts in Ukraine, and to foster long-term peace and security in the region.
Madam President,
In this somber context, we welcome the latest exchange of 160 prisoners of war each between the Russian Federation and Ukraine on 26 June, as well as the return of seven civilians from each side, on 27 June.
These developments remind us of the benefits derived when the sides engage constructively. In this regard, we also appreciate the support provided by third parties, including the United Arab Emirates and Belarus.
They demonstrate that diplomacy can result in tangible outcomes.
Madam President,
As the Secretary-General stated on United Nations Charter Day, the principles of the Charter are neither optional nor negotiable.
They prohibit the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State.
They require that international disputes be settled by peaceful means.
Over four years on, the war in Ukraine is facing a new inflection point.
Amid mounting civilian casualties, growing destruction and widening regional spillover, the choice between immediate de-escalation, and dangerous escalation, is starkly clear.
We cannot afford the risk of a broader regional conflict in Europe.
An immediate, full, and unconditional ceasefire is urgently needed. A ceasefire would enable meaningful and inclusive negotiations towards a just, lasting and comprehensive peace, in line with the UN Charter, international law, and relevant UN resolutions.
The United Nations supports all efforts to this end.
I thank you.
