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Swiss foreign minister calls on Moscow to end Ukraine war

Ukraine: Cassis calls on Moscow to end the war
Ukraine: Cassis calls on Moscow to end the war Keystone-SDA

It's high time Moscow ended its war against Ukraine, Swiss foreign minister Ignazio Cassis has told the UN Security Council. Cassis said that after 1,000 days of war, the weapons must be silenced, even though the attack began in violation of the UN Charter.

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Cassis expressed his deep concern at the massive attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in recent days. Such attacks represent a great danger to the civilian population as winter approaches.

He added that the war was not only destabilising international security through the nuclear threat, but also endangering global food and energy security.

+ Swiss neutrality no longer an issue at the UN Security Council

Cassis also criticised the risk of the war spreading due to the presence of thousands of North Korean soldiers who, according to reports, are involved in the war effort alongside Russia. He reiterated that Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected within its internationally recognised borders.

The Swiss foreign minister recalled the meeting at the Bürgenstock five months ago, when negotiations on peace in Ukraine were held at the highest level for the first time.

“Since then, we have pursued these efforts relentlessly and will continue to do so until a diplomatic solution is found,” Cassis declared.

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Middle East

On Monday, the Foreign Minister took part in three meetings of the UN Security Council in New York. In addition to Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East and Sudan were on the Council’s agenda.

At the meeting on the situation in the Middle East, Cassis called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all hostages. A ceasefire must also be achieved in Lebanon, he added.

The political solution for peace in the Middle East is known, he said. “It is the two-state solution, which offers Israelis and Palestinians the prospect of living in peace and security”.

Sudan peace plan

The Security Council also passed a resolution to help bring peace to Sudan, which is in the throes of civil war. After more than a year and a half of conflict, the country is facing one of the worst humanitarian catastrophes of our time.

Fourteen of the Council’s 15 members voted in favor of the resolution put forward by Great Britain and Sierra Leone. But Russia vetoed it. Cassis expressed Switzerland’s regret at the failure of the resolution.

After several bilateral meetings, Cassis returned to Switzerland on Monday night. Switzerland remains a member of the UN Security Council until the end of the year.

Translated from French by DeepL/mga

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