UN's humanitarian chief set to visit Moscow, Kyiv to discuss ceasefire efforts amid war

As the Russia-Ukraine war has entered its 38th day, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced that UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths will travel to Moscow on April 3 and then will visit Kyiv to address the current scenario in Ukraine and discuss the possibility of a ceasefire. During a press conference on Friday, Guterres stated, “My special envoy, Martin Griffiths, was asked by me to pursue a humanitarian ceasefire in Ukraine. He will be flying to Moscow on Sunday and after that he will be going to Kyiv."

He even said that the visit of the UN official shows that "we do not give up on the perspective of stopping the fighting in Ukraine and everywhere else in the world." On being asked about whether Russia and Ukraine are engaging with this initiative, Guterres responded by saying that the Russian Federation and Ukraine have agreed to meet with Griffiths.

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees calls for end to Ukraine war

Meanwhile, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi has called for an end to war in Ukraine as the Russian invasion has uprooted more than ten million Ukrainians. Grandi also asked for increased help for Ukrainian refugees. As per media reports, Grandi, who was in Ukraine for the first time since Russia started a large-scale military operation, appealed to the global community to assist millions of civilians affected by the conflict. 

According to Grandi, the speed of movement combined with a significant number of casualties in such a short period of time is "unmatched" in contemporary European history. 

Russia-Ukraine crisis

As of March 30, over 4 million people have been forced to leave the war-torn country to seek protection in neighbouring nations, according to the UN, marking it the world's fastest-growing refugee tragedy since the Second World War. Further, more than 2.3 million Ukrainians have fled to Poland to dodge Russian airstrikes and bombings, according to UNHCR figures. 

As per UN News, an extra 6.5 million individuals have been displaced within Ukraine's borders, with around 13 million stranded or unable to leave because of the increasing security dangers, bridge and road collapse, and a lack of information or knowledge on where to seek safety and refuge. 

Meanwhile, since the invasion started on February 24, Russian forces have killed approximately 148 children in the bombardment and airstrikes, fired 1,370 missiles, and damaged 15 Ukrainian airports, according to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry. 

(Image: AP)