'Enough is enough', says Secretary-General Antonio Guterres over Ukraine crisis at UNGA

Raising concern over the ongoing situation in Ukraine due to the military operation by Russia, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday said that escalating violence in Kyiv is resulting in the death of civilians. 

Asserting "enough is enough", the Secretary-General during the 11th Emergency Special Session on Ukraine said that the soldiers need to move back to barracks and civilians must be protected in Ukraine. 

"Escalating violence is resulting in civilians' death. Enough is Enough, soldiers need to move back to barracks, civilians must be protected," Guterres said today. 

Notably, the special UN General Assembly session began with a minute of silence today. Guterres also assured Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that the United Nation will continue to assist Ukraine with humanitarian assistance. 

"Humanitarian aid is vital, it's not a solution, the only solution is through peace... I have assured Ukraine President that UN will continue to assist, will not abandon them, will provide them with humanitarian assistance," Secretary-General said at UN emergency meeting. 

On Sunday, the Security Council voted to call for an emergency special session of the 193-member UN General Assembly on Russia's military operation in Ukraine. 

The measure convening the General Assembly session was adopted by a vote of 11 in favor, with Russia voting against, and China, India, and the United Arab Emirates abstaining. 

The request for the Assembly to urgently convene a meeting comes after Russia vetoed on Friday a US-led draft Security Council resolution on Russia. 

Since the text acted on Sunday was procedural, none of the five permanent Council members could use their vetoes. The measure needed just nine votes in favor to pass. Only 10 such emergency special sessions of the General Assembly have been convened since 1950, following the adoption of resolution 377A(V), widely known as "Uniting for Peace." 

According to UN News, that text gives the Assembly the power to take up matters of international peace and security when the Security Council is unable to act because of the lack of unanimity among its five veto-wielding permanent members. 

The Security Council's latest steps to end the Ukraine crisis cap a week of activity at the UN seeking a diplomatic offramp to Russian military action in the country.