UN asserts Ukraine peace negotiations must adhere to Charter News
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UN asserts Ukraine peace negotiations must adhere to Charter

The UN reaffirmed Monday during a Security Council session that any peace negotiations in Ukraine must adhere to the UN Charter while “respecting the country’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity.”

“The United Nations encourages dialogue among all stakeholders and welcomes all genuine efforts and initiatives, with the full participation of Ukraine and the Russian Federation, that would alleviate the impact of the war on civilians and de-escalate the conflict,” said Miroslav Jenča, assistant secretary-general for Europe in the Department of Political and Peace-building Affairs (DPPA), during the session. 

The Security Council draws its power from Article 39 of the UN Charter, which states:

The Security Council shall determine the existence of any threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression and shall make recommendations, or decide what measures shall be taken in accordance with Articles 41 and 42, to maintain or restore international peace and security.

Article 41 describes non-forceful measures that give effect to Security Council decisions, including economic sanctions or restricting air or postal communication. Article 42 describes armed measures that the UN can take to keep peace, should the measures in Article 41 be inadequate.

President Donald J. Trump stated last week that he did not think it was practical for Ukraine to have NATO membership and that he was working with Russian President Vladimir Putin to negotiate an end to Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, going around the Ukrainian government. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that he had a “meaningful conversation with Trump,” which led to a deal of continued US military aid in the country.

The session concluded with a reflection on Resolution 2202, which endorsed the Minsk agreement of 2015 that was signed by Russia, Ukraine, and Russian separatists in the occupied Ukraine following the annexation of Crimea. The resolution outlined “an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine, as well as the withdrawal of all heavy weapons by both sides by equal distances to create a security zone.”

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