Ukraine: President Zelenskyy Addresses United Nations General Debate, 77th Session

United Nations
Ukraine – President Addresses United Nations General Debate, 77th Session

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, addresses the general debate of the 77th Session of the General Assembly of the UN via pre-recorded video message (New York, 20 – 26 September 2022).

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine told world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly that “a crime has been committed” against his country and Russia deserves “just punishment” for those crimes.

Addressing Member States today (21 Sep), Zelenskyy said, “The crime was committed against the lives of our people. The crime was committed against the dignity of our women and men. The crime was committed against the values that make you and me a community of the United Nations.”

According to the Head of State, Ukraine wants peace, Europe wants peace, and the world wants peace.

“And we have seen who is the only one who wants war. There is only one entity among all UN Member States who would say now if he could interrupt my speech, that he is happy with this war – with his war,” said the Ukrainian leader.

Zelenskyy said that a Special Tribunal should be created to punish Russia. According to him, “this will become signal to all “would-be” aggressors, that they must value peace or be brought to responsibility by the world.”

He also informed that his government has prepared “precise steps” to establish such tribunals and they will be presented to all Member States.

Zelenskyy also said that Ukraine will appeal to the UN General Assembly to support an international compensation mechanism.

The Head of State believes that “Russia should pay for this war with its assets” and “this is one of the most terrible punishments for Russian officials, who value money above everything else.”

The President of Ukraine urged nations to put a price cap on Russian oil and gas, saying that “limiting prices is safeguarding the world” and “the way to restore energy and price security.”

“But will the world go for it? Or will it be scared? Will it be scared of Russian threats? It is necessary to take only one strong step, after which everything will become clear. The time has come for this,” said Zelenskyy.

Criticizing nations that have neutral positions, he said that “those who speak of neutrality, when human values and peace are under attack, mean something else.”

For the Ukrainian leader, those countries “sympathize only for protocol” and “pretend to protect someone, but in reality, they protect only their vested interests.”

As for the talks between Ukraine and Russia, Zelenskyy told Member States that Russia speaks “as if they were ready for them.”

In reality, the President of Ukraine continued, “they talk about the talks but announce military mobilization, they talk about the talks but announce pseudo referendums in the occupied territories.”