UN urges ceasefire as new round of Ukraine-Russia talks resume

The United Nations reiterated its call for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, urging both sides to pursue a just and lasting resolution under international law.

U.N. spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric was asked to comment on Russia’s recent proposal that any eventual peace treaty with Ukraine be ratified through a legally binding U.N. Security Council resolution, at a press briefing in New York.

“Let’s get to an agreement,” Dujarric said, declining to engage in speculation. “I don’t want to comment on hypotheticals. I think it would be unwise and counterproductive at this point.” He reiterated the U.N.’s stance, expressing hope that the talks would pave the way for a “full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire” as the essential first step toward a “just, lasting and comprehensive peace in line with the U.N. charter, international law and relevant U.N. resolutions.”

Dujarric also confirmed that U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Tom Fletcher, is currently in Moscow, where he held talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and other senior officials. “It’s part of his broader consultations with all member states, especially the permanent members of the Security Council,” Dujarric added.

On the humanitarian front, the U.N. reported a deadly weekend in Ukraine, where over 20 civilians were killed and more than 100 others, including children, were injured in a series of attacks. Civilian infrastructure, including homes, schools, hospitals, and utility lines, was severely damaged in regions such as Donetsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhia.

U.N. aid agencies, coordinated by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), are responding on the ground. Emergency repairs, psychological support, and essential supplies are being delivered to the worst-hit areas. Dujarric noted that evacuations were underway in at least a dozen frontline communities, including in the Sumy and Dnipro regions.

On May 30, a U.N.-led interagency convoy reached the Mylivska community in Kherson, delivering critical items such as solar lamps, charging stations, and kitchen supplies to at least 700 residents, including people with disabilities. So far this year, 11 convoys have brought life-saving aid to over 16,000 people in the Kherson region alone.

The United Nations continues to stress the urgency of diplomatic progress and unhindered humanitarian access, as the war’s toll on civilians grows by the day.

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