Russia pitches 'suffering of Donbass residents', NATO courting Kyiv as main issues at UNGA

Addressing the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) special emergency session on the Ukraine war, Russian envoy Vasily Nebenzya justified Vladimir Putin's war on Ukraine and said that Kyiv did not have empathy for Donbas. The Russian envoy alleged that the US policy was to create an anti-Russia Ukraine and ensured that it joined NATO.

"Action plans were being made by Ukraine and Georgia to join NATO. Their (US) policy was to create anti-Russia Ukraine and ensured that it joined NATO. Ukraine joining NATO is a red line, compels us to adopt measures in response; has placed us at the verge of this conflict," Nebenzya  said,

He also claimed that worsening suffering on residents of Donbas drew no compassion from the West. "It is like the people of Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) & Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) don't exist for them." Russia further claimed that the Ukraine government had been seeking nuclear weapons, stating that Russia is upholding UN Charter's article 51 with its actions. He also alleged that fake news is being spread by Kyiv on attacks on civilian population.

'Russians are seeking to end this war'

"The Russian Federation did not begin these hostilities. They were unleashed by Ukraine residents and dissenters. Russians are seeking to end this war," the Russian envoy said.

Before Nebenzya, the Ukrainian representative at UNGA said urged Moscow to stop the offensive. "We demand Russia to unconditionally withdraw its forces and demand full compliance with international humanitarian law," he said.

Ukraine-Russia talks end, Putin & Kyiv make equal & opposite demands

The peace negotiations between Russia and Ukrainian envoys have ended. It is not clear if the talks have achieved anything. However, Ukraine has demanded the withdrawal of all Russian troops from its territory, including the Crimea and Donbas regions.  Meanwhile, during a call with French President Emmanual Macron, Putin said he is ready to end the fight if Ukraine demilitarises, recognizes Russian sovereignty over Crimea, and ensures neutral status.