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Officer-in-charge for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas Kayoko Gotoh
Remarks to the Security Council on the situation in Ukraine
New York, 20 November 2025
Mr. President,
Ukrainian civilians have continued to bear the brunt of the Russian Federation’s escalating aerial campaign.
Large-scale attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure have caused widespread and prolonged emergency power outages across most regions of the country, leaving millions without heating, water or public transportation as temperatures plummet.
Hospitals, residential buildings, railways, schools, cultural sites, diplomatic facilities, and even kindergartens have been hit.
Most of the civilian casualties and damage continue to be reported in areas close to the frontline, namely in the Kherson, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Chernihiv, Sumy and Donetsk regions of Ukraine. But the increased use of long-range weapons by the Russian Federation has placed many more civilians at risk. No region of Ukraine is safe.
Just yesterday, at least 26 people, including three children, were reportedly killed in a Russian drone and missile attack on the western city of Ternopil. Dozens more, including children, were reportedly injured. Many remain missing under the rubble.
This was one of the war’s deadliest strikes on civilians.
In addition, two other western regions - Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk – were also hit. In the northeast, at least 46 people, including two children, were reportedly injured in a drone strike on the city of Kharkiv.
We reiterate the Secretary-General’s strong condemnation of all such indiscriminate attacks against civilians.
Yesterday’s appalling strike follows another massive attack on 14 November, in which hundreds of Russian drones and many missiles hit Kyiv, reportedly killing at least six people and injuring many others.
The attack also damaged the Embassy of Azerbaijan, making it the second incident to impact diplomatic premises in the capital in recent months.
The same day, Russian strikes also shook the Odesa region, reportedly killing two civilians there.
We are concerned over the alarming increase in civilian casualties in Ukraine, with the overall figure from January to October 2025 already exceeding the total for all of last year.
In Kyiv, the number of civilian casualties was nearly 3.8 times higher in the first ten months of 2025 than in all of 2024.
According to figures confirmed by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights , since the start of the Russian Federation’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, 14,534 Ukrainian civilians, including 745 children, have been killed. 38,472 more civilians, including 2,375 children, have been injured.
The war is reported to be increasingly affecting civilian populations inside the Russian Federation, too.
According to Russian authorities, in 2025 Ukrainian drone strikes have killed 392 people, including 22 children, in the Russian Federation and in the areas of Ukraine occupied by the Russian Federation.
The United Nations is not in a position to verify or confirm these reports and figures.
There are also reports of escalating Ukrainian strikes on Russian energy and industrial facilities.
We recall that attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure are prohibited under international humanitarian law.
They are unacceptable, wherever they occur, and must stop immediately.
In this context, since the escalation of the attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, the United Nations, through the United Nations Development Programme, has continued to work with the Government of Ukraine to increase the resilience and sustainability of the country’s energy sector. UN support has benefited over 6 million people, enabling continued access to electricity, heating, water, and sanitation in severely affected regions.
My colleague from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Edem Wosornu, will brief on the humanitarian situation and operations. This includes updates on the alarming security threats faced by humanitarian workers, including the attack that on 14 October hit a clearly marked UN humanitarian convoy.
Mr. President,
The past months have once again highlighted the fragility of nuclear safety and security during an active war.
On 23 September, Europe’s largest nuclear power plant, Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) lost all its off-site power for the tenth time since February 2022.
After a month-long outage, on 23 October, the Plant was successfully re-connected to Ukraine’s electrical grid. The required repairs were carried out under the protection of a local ceasefire negotiated by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and observed by its teams on the ground.
We commend the efforts of the IAEA and continue to urge the sides to act responsibly. Any nuclear incident would have unimaginable consequences not only for Ukraine and the Russian Federation, but far beyond. Such risk must be avoided at all costs.
Mr. President,
In all his engagements during the General Assembly, the Secretary-General spared no effort to focus attention on the war in Ukraine and to uphold the UN’s principled position in support of a just peace.
As we meet today, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo is wrapping up a visit to Ukraine.
She traveled to Kyiv to ensure continued attention on developments in Ukraine, and to personally reiterate the Secretary-General’s message of the UN’s unwavering solidarity with the people of Ukraine.
Mr. President,
Earlier this year, we were encouraged by the resumption of diplomatic efforts towards a ceasefire and a search for lasting peace.
Nearly four years into this war, as the attacks escalate and casualties grow, and calls for an immediate and complete ceasefire increase, such efforts are even more critical. We urge concerted and inclusive diplomatic efforts resulting in tangible progress towards a just and lasting peace.
The alternative is to risk letting the war prolong, expand and escalate further to even more dangerous levels.
We also encourage the Russian Federation and Ukraine to continue working to secure further exchanges of prisoners of war, releases of civilian detainees and return of Ukrainian children. In this regard, we take note of today’s exchange of mortal remains between the sides.
I would like to conclude by reiterating the Secretary-General’s repeated call for a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire, as a first step towards a just, comprehensive, and sustainable peace in Ukraine.
This means a peace that fully upholds Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, in line with the UN Charter, international law and relevant UN resolutions.
The United Nations stands ready to support all meaningful efforts to that end.
Thank you.
DPPA is requesting $3 million in earmarked contributions for our work on the Middle East to sustain mediation, political analysis, and strategic engagement amid multiple interlocking crises. A fully funded Multi-Year Appeal (MYA) will also enable follow-up to the Pact for the Future, which calls on the Secretary-General to actively leverage his good offices and ensure the United Nations is adequately equipped to lead and support mediation, good offices, and peacemaking in this rapidly evolving context.
Excellencies,
It is a pleasure to represent the United Nations on behalf of the Secretary-General at this summit.
It has been nearly four years since the Russian Federation launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, in blatant violation of the UN Charter and international law.
The war has not only taken thousands of lives, destroyed countless Ukrainian towns and villages, and displaced millions of people.
It has also disrupted global supply routes and vital Ukrainian food exports.
Today, according to the latest report on the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, an estimated 673 million people in the world continue to face hunger, which is more than 8 percent of the global population.
In this context, the importance of agricultural exports from Ukraine is unquestionable.
Despite the ongoing war, and the wide-spread damage to infrastructure, Ukrainian farmers continue to produce and export grain and oilseeds that feed markets worldwide.
According to the estimates by the International Grain Council this season, Ukraine accounts for over 13 per cent of global maize exports, and over seven per cent of global wheat exports.
However, the ongoing hostilities continue to create barriers for the full realization of Ukraine’s agricultural potential.
An estimated 15-16 million hectares of Ukrainian farmland are contaminated by landmines and unexploded ordnance, with nearly one-third of farms in frontline areas affected.
This remains one of the greatest barriers to restoring production and livelihoods.
In response, the United Nations has helped safeguard and store more than 7.5 million tonnes of cereals and oilseeds since late 2022. We are now expanding support to mine-action for agriculture, irrigation rehabilitation, and resilient seed systems.
Excellencies,
Acknowledging the fundamental role of Ukraine and the Black Sea routes to global food markets, the UN Secretary-General Guterres and Türkiye brokered the Black Sea Initiative in 2022.
The aim of this Initiative was to benefit Ukrainian farmers and consumers worldwide by enabling the safe transportation of nearly 33 million metric tons of grains and other foodstuffs to 45 countries, across three continents.
Following the expiry of the Black Sea Initiative and the establishment by Ukraine of a new corridor for its exports in 2023, the United Nations has continued to provide its support.
We advocated for free and safe navigation in the Black Sea to enable the normalization of exports to global markets.
The Secretary-General continues to make his good offices available towards this objective, as well as in related areas in the protection of civilian infrastructure.
However, the only lasting solution is an end to the war.
The United Nations’ position remains consistent and principled: We continue to call for a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire.
A ceasefire that can help pave the way for a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in Ukraine, in full respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, in line with the UN Charter, international law, and relevant UN resolutions.
Thank you.
At least 25 people were killed and dozens more injured in a new wave of overnight strikes across several regions of Ukraine, the United Nations said on Wednesday.
Living conditions for Gazans – particularly children – are still dire as temperatures drop and families return to bombed-out homes as the fragile ceasefire holds, UN aid workers said on Wednesday.
Nearly a year on from the fall of Assad, Syrians still lack many basic necessities as the transitional government works to shore up the economy and build social cohesion.
Expanding terrorist networks, mass displacement and the collapse of essential services in West Africa and the Sahel are a growing concern worldwide.
UNICEF has strongly condemned a deadly attack on a school in Kebbi State, northwest Nigeria, which left the Vice-Principal dead and resulted in the reported abduction of at least 25 students.
As UN Secretary-General António Guterres hailed Monday’s Security Council resolution paving the way for a consolidated ceasefire via a temporary International Stabilization Force in Gaza, UN aid teams warned that many Palestinian children in the enclave are in no shape to endure another harsh winter.
The UN is prepared to play “any role” needed to advance the breakthrough Security Council resolution endorsing the United States-led Gaza peace plan.
Ending hunger by 2030 would cost just $93 billion a year — less than one per cent of the $21.9 trillion spent on military budgets over the past decade, according to the UN World Food Programme (WFP).
The UN refugee agency has welcomed aspects of the United Kingdom’s proposed changes to its asylum system, while emphasising the importance of fair, efficient protection for those fleeing conflict and persecution.
The UN Security Council adopted a resolution on Monday that endorses a peace plan for Gaza put forward by United States President Donald Trump and a temporary international force in the enclave following two years of war.
UN relief chief Tom Fletcher held “useful” and “tough” discussions with the two sides battling for control of Sudan this week, pushing for access to aid for those in desperate need, he told journalists in New York on Monday.
For millions of people worldwide caught up in conflict, “war and hunger are often two faces of the same crisis,” UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed told the Security Council on Monday, as it met to examine how food insecurity fuels fighting.
The Security Council has passed a US-backed resolution which will establish an international force to restore order in Gaza, protect civilians and open the way for large-scale aid and rebuilding. There were 13 votes for, none against – while Russia and China abstained amid concerns that Russia might veto the text. US ambassador Mike Waltz thanked ambassadors, hailing it as an “historic and constructive resolution” which charts a new course for the Middle East. Follow live below, check out full meetings coverage here, and UN News app users, follow here.
The UN Security Council is expected to vote at 5pm in New York today on a US-sponsored draft resolution that would authorise the creation of an international stabilisation force in the Gaza Strip.
On Sunday, a foot patrol of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) was targeted by an Israeli army Merkava tank from an Israeli position in Lebanese territory.
Ukraine is facing what has been described as an “unprecedented housing crisis” three and a half years after the full-scale invasion of the Eastern European country by Russia.
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Several civilians were killed and many others injured, including children, in a large-scale Russian attack on Ukraine’s capital and the wider Kyiv region early on Friday.
Images emerged this week of what appear to be mobs of masked Israeli settlers carrying out arson attacks on Palestinian homes and property, the UN human rights office (OHCHR) said on Friday.
Just how many people are still trapped in the Sudanese city of El Fasher? That’s the burning question for relatives of the many thousands of people believed to still be there, since paramilitary fighters overran the regional capital of North Darfur last month, after a 500-day siege.
More than nine in 10 children in Gaza are displaying signs of aggressive behaviour linked to more than two years of war between Hamas and Israel, welfare agencies have reported.
More than 21 million people in Sudan, 45 per cent of the population, are not getting enough to eat as the war between rival militaries continues, according to the World Food Programme (WFP).
Mr. Chair (Ambassador José Alberto Bríz Gutiérrez, Permanent Representative of Guatemala),
Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates,
It is my honor to introduce, on behalf of the Secretary-General, his latest report on overall policy matters pertaining to special political missions.
I am joined today by my colleague, Assistant Secretary-General Lisa Buttenheim of the Department of Operational Support.
Let me also express my appreciation to Finland and Mexico for their continued leadership on this agenda item.
Mr. Chair,
The peace and security landscape is increasingly volatile.
Across the world, conflicts are destroying lives, displacing millions, and robbing people of hope and dignity. Conflict parties continue to flout international humanitarian law—attacking civilians, obstructing aid, and destroying essential infrastructure.
Extremist insurgencies, transnational crime, and armed gangs are driving violence, also with devastating consequences for civilians.
In Haiti, gang violence has turned cities into battlegrounds, displacing over a million people and leaving 5.7 million – almost half of the population – facing acute food insecurity.
Multilateral action is struggling to keep pace.
Geopolitical competition is deepening divides, fueling uncertainty, and weakening our ability to act together.
Charter norms—sovereignty, territorial integrity, non-intervention, and human rights—are increasingly being violated.
Comprehensive peace agreements are becoming rare. We see more partial agreements, such as ceasefires and truces. These are often fragile and prone to collapse.
New technologies—from artificial intelligence to drones—are being weaponized on an unprecedented scale, spreading disinformation and hate speech, and expanding both the reach and lethality of conflict.
Eroding solidarity and financial pressures are weakening multilateral efforts in humanitarian relief, development, and peacebuilding—just when global cooperation is needed most.
Mr. Chair,
As the global peace and security environment further deteriorates, our efforts to end violence, find political solutions, and build sustainable peace must be redoubled.
SPMs remain at the forefront of this effort. Through sustained—and often quiet—diplomacy, they are helping create space for dialogue, de-escalation and compromise.
In Libya, amid deep national and international divisions, our mission, UNSMIL, is advancing a Libyan-led roadmap to reunify state institutions, uphold Libya’s sovereignty, and promote an inclusive political process. The clashes in Tripoli last May revealed the fragility of the situation—UNSMIL worked to calm tensions and sustain dialogue among key security actors.
In Colombia, our Verification Mission continues to accompany the implementation of the 2016 Final Peace Agreement, as the country makes significant progress on its path toward lasting peace and stability. Building durable peace depends on the full reintegration of former FARC-EP combatants into Colombia’s social, economic, and political life. More than 11,000 former combatants have laid down arms and remain active part of the peace process, and nearly 9,000 weapons have been destroyed under UN verification.
And in Iraq, UNAMI is finalizing preparations for its departure after two decades. Established in 2003, the mission has supported the Government and people of Iraq through multiple periods of transition. UNAMI will complete its phased drawdown and transfer of mandated activities by 31 December 2025. The mission’s drawdown reflects Iraq’s progress over the past two decades and offers valuable lessons on how SPMs can be designed and adapted. We are grateful for the strong cooperation with the Government of Iraq throughout these 22 years of partnership.
Mr. Chair,
As we mark the 25th anniversary of Security Council resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, we commemorated this milestone with recognition of the progress achieved and a renewed call for concrete action, which remains vital. To that end, last month, we convened a high-level meeting to advance implementation of the Secretary-General’s Common Pledge on Women’s Participation in Peace Processes.
Inclusion—and in particular the political participation of women—remains a priority across all SPMs. In Haiti, for example, BINUH is helping to advance women’s leadership, protection, and participation. It has supported the training of 124 women—including civil society leaders and community police officers—as peace ambassadors in conflict resolution and mediation, with many now training others in their communities.
Mr. Chair,
In light of the challenges facing peace operations, including SPMs, there is a clear need to reflect on their future.
The review of all forms of UN peace operations, requested in the Pact for the Future, offers an opportunity to rebuild consensus and reimagine how our missions can adapt and deliver more effectively in an increasingly complex environment. This is fully in line also with the Secretary-General’s vision for UN80.
To inform this review, we have engaged in extensive consultations with Member States—including the General Assembly and the Security Council—and received valuable written input from Member States and civil society. I wish to express our deep appreciation for these contributions.
From these consultations, several clear messages have emerged:
First, mandates should be more focused on political solutions. SPMs are most effective when their mandates are realistic, have clearly defined political objectives, and are anchored in the Organization’s comparative advantages.
Second, mandates should be more adaptable to rapidly changing conditions on the ground. Conflicts evolve rapidly—interests shifts and alliances change. Mandates should be reviewed more regularly to ensure that missions remain aligned with political realities on the ground and maintain domestic and international support.
Third, we need a clearer articulation of the long-term objectives and end states that our missions are set up to achieve. Mandates and resources must be aligned with these objectives, and missions should be regularly assessed based on their progress toward these goals.
Fourth, host-State consent and active partnership are critical. SPMs accompany national efforts. They have greater impact when they operate in close cooperation with host authorities, based on mutual trust and respect for sovereignty.
Fifth, the role of United Nations Country Teams operating alongside special political missions is critical. Country Teams are present before, during and after the deployment of a mission. Their support to national priorities ultimately goes hand in hand with the work of peace operations on the ground, as the Review of the UN Peacebuilding Architecture demonstrates.
Sixth, regional partnerships. In almost all of the places where we work, we have collaborated closely with regional actors. We understand that joined-up efforts are necessary to address the complex drivers of conflict we face. We must continue to invest and prioritize these partnerships.
And finally, we need more investment in peacemaking and political settlements. Many SPMs now operate in contexts without a comprehensive peace agreement—this means that instead of being able to support an agreed framework for peace, SPMs must work to prevent violence, facilitate and sustain ceasefires, or support emerging peace processes. These efforts are vital, but lasting peace requires durable political solutions. The UN remains an indispensable actor in this regard, and our efforts—as recognized in the Pact for the Future—must be intensified. Effective good offices and peacemaking are intrinsically linked to the success of peace operations.
In the coming weeks, consultations on the review will continue, including engagements with all regional groups. We look forward to a continued dialogue with Member States as we shape recommendations to ensure that SPMs—and peace operations as a whole—remain fit for purpose: adaptable, effective, and focused on political objectives.
In conclusion, I wish to pay special tribute to United Nations personnel serving in SPMs, who work under challenging conditions to advance the promise of the Charter. We deeply value their dedication and commitment.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
The 65th round of the Geneva International Discussions (GID) took place on 11-12 November 2025 in the UN Palais des Nations in accordance with the six-point agreement of 12 August 2008 and implementing measures of 8 September 2008.
The participants reiterated their commitment to this important process, emphasizing once again the need for the GID to make tangible progress and deliver on its core agenda items for the benefit of all those affected by conflict.
In Working Group I, the participants reviewed the security situation on the ground since the 64th round held in June 2025, engaging in a substantive exchange of views on the matter. They continued their discussions with a particular focus on non-use of force and international security arrangements. The participants also exchanged views on and reiterated their desire to further explore a possible political statement on non-use of force as a step, which would stress their respective commitments to this principle.
In Working Group II, the participants discussed humanitarian issues, including crossings, documentation, livelihoods and missing persons. Building on previous rounds, they also had a detailed discussion on freedom of movement and external mobility, recognizing the need to find practical solutions to ensure mobility within and outside the region. Due to a walkout by some participants, the agenda item “returns” of internally displaced persons and refugees could not be discussed. In this context, the Co-Chairs call on participants to address all agenda items without pre-conditions.
The participants expressed interest in continuing the practice of holding information sessions and discussed potential concrete topics for the next rounds.
The participants agreed to hold the next round in March 2026 in Geneva.
Civilian casualties in Ukraine were 27 per cent higher from January to October 2025, compared to the same period last year, according to the latest UN human rights report on the situation in the eastern European country.
Some 90,000 people have been displaced following the fall of El Fasher in Sudan’s North Darfur - with another 50,000 fleeing violence in the Kordofans, according to the UN migration chief.
South Sudan is entering a period of rising instability marked by political polarisation, renewed armed clashes, and severe humanitarian strain, senior UN officials told the Security Council on Tuesday.
Hundreds of protesters and others have been killed and an unknown number injured or detained in Tanzania following protests surrounding last month’s elections, according to reports obtained by the UN human rights office (OHCHR).
In war-torn Sudan, rape is likely being used as a weapon of war and simply being a woman there is “a strong predictor” of hunger, violence and death, the UN’s gender equality agency warned on Tuesday.
The world is facing a cross-border “chain of violence” driven by small arms and light weapons, UN disarmament and law enforcement officials told the Security Council on Monday.
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The crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues to worsen amid ongoing fighting that has driven tens of thousands of people from their homes and created acute hunger, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) said on Friday.
Independent UN human rights investigators have heard first-hand accounts of torture, unlawful detention and the forced transfer of civilians during their first visit to Ukraine in more than a year.
