United Nations (TDI): As the Russia–Ukraine conflict nears its fourth year with no signs of easing, Pakistan has urged all parties to re-engage in sincere negotiations aimed at reaching a settlement acceptable to all sides.
Addressing the UN Security Council on Tuesday during a debate on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, Pakistan’s deputy permanent representative, Ambassador Usman Jadoon, called for a solution “rooted in the UN Charter, international law, and relevant multilateral agreements,” saying only such an approach could bring about “durable and lasting peace.”
He voiced concern over the continued violence and the growing number of civilian casualties, stressing that the protection of non-combatants and civilian infrastructure is a legal responsibility under international humanitarian law.
Welcoming fresh diplomatic efforts led by the United States, Ambassador Jadoon appealed to both Russia and Ukraine to show restraint, political maturity and a genuine willingness to work toward a negotiated settlement. “We hope all sides will be guided by wisdom, mutual understanding and the need to spare millions more from further suffering,” he added.
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Pakistan, he said, stands ready to support any sincere attempt to resolve the conflict peacefully and “in a just, comprehensive and durable manner.”
Briefing the Council, Kayoko Gotoh of the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs reported that 2025 has been one of the deadliest years for civilians since the invasion began nearly four years ago. Civilian casualties between January and November were 24 percent higher than the same period last year, she noted, as Russian aerial attacks intensified across Ukraine.
Local authorities in Russia have also reported casualties from Ukrainian strikes. Gotoh underscored that any attack on civilians or civilian infrastructure is strictly prohibited under international law. “Wherever they occur, such attacks are unacceptable and must stop,” she said.
Energy and transport systems across several regions have repeatedly been hit by missile and drone strikes. According to the UN human rights office (OHCHR), at least 14,775 civilians, including 755 children, have been killed since February 2022, with more than 39,000 injured, figures believed to be significantly underestimated.
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Strikes have also increased in the Black Sea region, including Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil tankers and the port of Temryuk, while Russian forces have targeted the Ukrainian port city of Odesa.
The UN’s Winter Response Plan for Ukraine has received only two-thirds of the $279 million required, forcing reductions in key services such as heating support, emergency cash assistance, mental health care, and protection programs for women and girls.
The wider 2026 humanitarian response seeks $2.3 billion to assist 4.1 million people inside Ukraine.
Despite insecurity and restricted access, humanitarian operations are continuing. According to Joyce Msuya, the UN Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, 44 inter-agency convoys have delivered food, medicine and winter supplies to nearly 50,000 civilians in frontline regions so far this year.
