Ukraine’s ambassador to the UN, Sergiy Kyslytsya, has said that the multilateral organization has flaws but that turning its back on them would be irresponsible. Kyslytsya has stressed the importance of the General Assembly resolutions, which condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and said that the UN is not perfect but that there is no alternative.
Despite the shortcomings of the UN, Kyslytsya has expressed optimism and said that the body is a bouquet of different cultures, traditions, and political systems that should work together. Kyslytsya has pointed out that the General Assembly and its member states are a picture of the world as it is and that if some countries want to improve it, they should work directly with individual countries and groups of countries.
Since the beginning of the Russian invasion, Ukraine and its allies have pushed for the adoption by the General Assembly of several resolutions condemning Moscow. Kyslytsya stressed that much of the UN’s work is progressing well and praised the importance of other UN agencies, such as the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
The Ukrainian ambassador regretted that Russia currently holds the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council and stressed the importance of Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who has reached an agreement on the export of Ukrainian grain across the Black Sea. Kyslytsya has praised Guterres as a UN chief with “very high moral standards and dedication.”