The Security Council today repeatedly heard that there is no military solution for the war in Ukraine, as senior UN officials detailed escalating attacks on civilians, human rights violations and humanitarian restrictions.
The war and its spillover has frequently been on the Council's agenda since the start of the Russian Federation's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. According to Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) , at least 16,402 civilians, including 802 children, have been killed in Ukraine.
Today's meeting, requested by Ukraine, featured political and humanitarian updates, following a spate of Russian missile and drone strikes.
"In the past week alone, three massive waves of Russian aerial strikes targeted Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities," Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs reported. One of the deadliest assaults on Kyiv since the start of the war took place on the night of 2 July, when the Russian Federation launched over 70 missiles and nearly 500 drones, reportedly killing at least 31 people and injuring more than 100, including children.
UN Political Chief Calls for Unconditional Ceasefire
"These attacks show a clear pattern" of targeting urban centres with large civilian populations, she said.
The Russian Federation's authorities, meanwhile, have reported that 250 civilians were killed in the first six months of 2026, but "the United Nations is not in a position to verify these reports."
Inside the Russian Federation, Ukraine has continued drone attacks on oil, industrial and military infrastructure, she said, with some of these attacks reportedly resulting in civilian casualties and damage to residential infrastructure. "Any attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, wherever they occur, are a clear violation of international humanitarian law," she made clear.
Ms. DiCarlo also noted that per the Secretary-General's recent report on the " Situation of human rights in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, including the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol ", people in those territories face severe restrictions of freedom of expression and opinion. She called for inclusive, meaningful dialogue, adding: "An immediate, full and unconditional ceasefire cannot be delayed any further."
Ukrainian Communities 'Under Constant Threat'
Indrika Ratwatte, Acting Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, described the past week's surge in civilian casualties in stark terms. "Families with children have been killed in their homes, civilians injured on their way to work and cut off from essential services," he said. The scale and intensity of hostilities in other major urban centres - Dnipro, Kharkiv, Kherson, Sumy and Zaporizhzhia - are exacting "a deeply alarming human toll". Front-line communities and civilians in occupied areas live under constant threat.
He also voiced concern over reports of civilian harm and damage to infrastructure in the Russian Federation. "The absence of a United Nations monitoring presence does not diminish the seriousness of these reports," he stressed.
Uptick in Fighting Limits Humanitarian Access
"As the fighting intensifies, opportunities to reach civilians safely are narrowing," he continued. The UN and its humanitarian partners continue to respond rapidly with emergency shelter, cash assistance, protection services and psychosocial support. He warned that attacks harming humanitarian personnel and damaging their assets have increased by more than 20 per cent compared with the same period in 2025.
"Night after night", dozens of civilians have been killed since the start of July, the representative of Ukraine said. Moscow also continues to push thousands of innocent civilians in the occupied territories of Ukraine to the brink of survival, removing them from their homes and depriving them of food, water and other staples. Instead of ensuring their protection, "Russia once again resorts to is usual tactic of shifting responsibility, blaming the victim and falsifying the facts," he said.
Indeed, Moscow would have the world believe that war is peace and that its occupation is freedom, he said, calling for the Russian Federation's removal from its illegitimate role on the Security Council.
That country's "strategy of terror is a complete failure", he continued, "Russia is not winning". Its human losses are enormous, with more than 30,000 troops killed in May and some 28,000 in June. In contrast, he cited Ukraine's growing military successes, which are conducted in full compliance with international norms and standards. "We are defending our land, people and future," he added.
Speakers Underscore Solidarity with Ukraine, Press Moscow to Negotiate Ceasefire
In the ensuing conversation, several speakers expressed solidarity with Ukraine. The United States, its delegate said, stands with Ukrainian citizens, who continue to withstand attacks that destroy their homes and heritage. "President [Donald] Trump has made clear that Russia should make a deal, stop the killing and end the war," he said, calling on both sides to "return to the negotiating table, as there is no military solution to this war".
Denmark's speaker noted that recent attacks hit homes, warehouses, schools, infrastructure and medical facilities, as well as a Red Cross warehouse where 320,000 units of relief supplies were destroyed. "One has to wonder: What military advantage is to be gained by such escalation against civilians?" Greece's delegate asked.
The European Union's delegate, speaking in its capacity as observer, highlighted the Russian Federation's military spending and urged all countries to stop helping its war economy. "Russia must come to the negotiating table and engage sincerely to stop its war of aggression," he concluded. Romania's speaker added: "A ceasefire remains the very first step to unlock a path to peace."
Ending War 'in Russia's Hands,' Baltic, Nordic Countries Insist, as Regional Voices Demand Air Support for Ukraine
Several of Ukraine's neighbours stressed that the responsibility for this war lies solely with the Russian Federation. The representative of Lithuania, speaking on behalf of the Baltic States, said that Moscow's conduct follows a documented pattern of violations, including grave violations against children and conflict-related sexual violence. "These attacks are not isolated incidents, but part of a sustained campaign of terror against Ukraine's civilian population," he underscored.
Finland's delegate, speaking for Denmark, Iceland, Norway and Sweden as well, expressed concern about strikes on a World Food Programme (WFP) vehicle and a Red Cross warehouse. She then pointed to "threats also in this chamber", adding that Russian officials have openly threatened civilians, diplomats and the staff of international organizations operating in Ukraine. The Russian Federation does not determine diplomatic presence or the work of international organizations in Ukraine, she insisted.
Latvia's representative said Moscow is using its most destructive weapons not only on the front line, but also in densely populated civilian areas, striking apartment buildings, suburbs and cultural sites. She urged more air-defence support for Ukraine. Poland's delegate hoped that the "Russian people will eventually realize" that the Kremlin's choices run against their own interests. He noted his country's steadfast commitment to aiding Ukraine through a "broad spectrum of humanitarian, economic and military support".
France's delegate noted the Group of Seven summit in Evian, during which its leaders came together to reaffirm the need to support Ukraine. "In Ankara yesterday, [North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)] leaders reaffirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine, which is defending its freedom, its sovereignty and its territorial integrity," he said. On 13 July, the Heads of State and Government of the Coalition of the Willing will meet in Paris to build on these commitments.
Moscow Blames West for 'Torpedoing' Peace Prospects
Rejecting these statements, the representative of the Russian Federation said that European money, weapons, ammunition, intelligence, military training, "and very importantly, torpedoing any outlines of peace negotiations", are part of a larger strategy aimed at inflicting maximum damage on her country through Ukrainian hands. For the military-industrial complexes of European countries, "Ukraine has become a real gold mine", she said.
Over the past three months, more than 55,000 munitions and drones have been launched at her country, she said. From 29 June to 5 July, 270 people were wounded, including eight children, while 38 people were killed, including one child. Ukraine is seeking to expand the geography of the conflict, she said, adding that its armed forces also attack Russian civilian nuclear facilities.
She rejected the "invented narrative about an innocent Ukraine", adding that this crisis did not begin in February 2022. For years, anti-Russian sentiment was cultivated in Ukraine with Western funding, she said, adding that under President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine became the embodiment of an anti-Russia project. There is no reason for her country to stop implementing all the goals of its special military operation.
'Compromise', Speakers Urge, No Leverage Gained from Mutual Ruin
By the time someone blinks, there will be nothing left to negotiate over, Liberia's delegate warned. "You cannot buy leverage with the currency of mutual ruin," he said, calling on parties to imagine the day "the final weapon falls silent" and reflect on whether the devastation was worthwhile. His own country knows this from memory, he said, adding: "We chose peace once - late, and at terrible cost." Peace made early is a good choice, whereas peace made late is "the peace of the graveyard", he said.
This poignant call for dialogue and a ceasefire was echoed by several speakers beyond the region - including the representatives of Pakistan, Panama and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Council President for July, speaking in his national capacity. Colombia's delegate hoped that the recent prisoner exchanges could serve as confidence-building measures and steps forward. Somalia's delegate welcomed recent efforts to "keep communications channels open" - even as current diplomatic efforts remain on hold - and stressed the need to compromise. China's representative reminded the parties that "no negotiation is smooth sailing, and no conflict is resolved overnight."
