Ukrainian FM Slams Russian Amendments to UN Resolution: “Putin Wishes to Destroy Our Nation”

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha has responded to calls for addressing the “root causes” of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, emphasizing that these causes are directly linked to Russia itself.

In a statement posted on X, Sybiha stated that the fundamental reason for the war is the Kremlin’s denial of Ukraine’s right to exist and Russian leader Vladimir Putin’s intent to eradicate the Ukrainian nation.

“This is why Russia started this war, commits atrocities, and tries to change borders by force. So yes, let’s remove the root causes,” he wrote.

The phrase “eliminating the root causes” of the war has been frequently used in Russian rhetoric, often as a justification blaming NATO expansion and alleged “Ukrainian nationalism” for the war. Moscow recently attempted to introduce this language into an upcoming United Nations resolution.

The United States has proposed a draft resolution at the UN General Assembly to mark the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The document, put forward by Washington, consists of three key points, expressing condolences for lives lost in the war and calling for a peaceful resolution of the war.

The resolution underscores the need for an immediate cessation of hostilities and the establishment of a lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia.

Russia submitted an amendment to the draft, suggesting that the resolution emphasize “eliminating the root causes of the war,” a phrasing that aligns with Moscow’s narrative. Russia’s UN Ambassador Vasily Nebenzya indicated that if the amendment is accepted, Moscow would support the resolution.

U.S. Secretary of State Mark Rubio urged UN member states to back the resolution, stating that its objective is to facilitate a peaceful resolution to the war. A draft reviewed by Reuters highlights the UN’s core mission to uphold international peace and security and calls for an end to hostilities. Russia’s proposed modification seeks to insert language linking peace to addressing so-called “root causes.”

Earlier, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, following a G20 meeting in South Africa, stated that Russia showed no willingness to pursue peace with Ukraine after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s speech. Lammy emphasized that there was no progress toward a negotiated settlement. Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, speaking in Paris, stressed that lasting peace in Ukraine depends on US security commitments, while European leaders discussed but did not agree on potential peacekeeper deployments.