Pakistan raises alarm as Russia-Ukraine conflict intensifies, calls for dialogue

UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan has urged Russia and Ukraine to engage in a “sustained, meaningful and structured dialogue” to resolve the ongoing conflict, which will mark its fourth anniversary next month.

Addressing the UN Security Council, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, said the international community remains deeply concerned over the unrelenting hostilities.

“The international community has been deeply perturbed by the continuing and relentless hostilities, leaving behind a trail of death, destruction, economic losses, and immense human suffering,” the ambassador said.

He expressed alarm over the recent intensification of fighting, noting an escalation in attacks by both sides that has further worsened the already dire humanitarian situation.

“We are alarmed by the recent escalation, which not only perpetuates the conflict but also undermines trust and ongoing efforts for peace,” he warned during the debate on the situation in Ukraine.

Ambassador Ahmad reiterated that dialogue remains the only viable path to lasting peace, stressing that the suffering of millions must be urgently addressed.

“The imperative to deliver millions from agony must remain paramount,” he said, adding that Pakistan supports all efforts aimed at achieving a peaceful, comprehensive, and durable resolution.

Opening the debate, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo said the new year had brought neither peace nor respite to Ukraine.

She said large-scale aerial assaults by the Russian Federation against civilians and civilian infrastructure have resulted in “horrific” levels of destruction and suffering.

Between 8-9 January, Moscow reportedly launched 242 drones and 36 missiles against Ukraine, the senior UN official said, adding that at least 4 people were reportedly killed and 25 injured in Kyiv alone.

Russia’s UN Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya stated that the Russian army had struck transport, airport and energy infrastructure that sustained Ukraine’s “military industrial complex”. This was in response to an attack waged by the “Kyiv regime” on the Russian President’s residence in the Novgorod region.