Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky says the world depends on his country’s independence.
Fresh from a meeting with his British counterpart Boris Johnson, Zelensky is addressing the UN Security Council on the 31st anniversary of his country’s release from Soviet rule.
Russia objected to Zelensky taking part in today’s meeting in New York remotely – saying it was a procedural issue – but was outvoted.
Zelensky levels a number of allegations at Russia over its invasion, saying it had put the world “on the brink of radiation catastrophe” after turning the territory of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant into a conflict zone.
Russia has previously thrown the same accusation at Ukraine.
Zelensky goes on to argue that Russia’s “insane aggression” is causing “artificial hunger” around the world, due to blockages to Ukraine’s important grain exports.
And he says Moscow’s invasion had resulted in energy poverty for tens of millions of people.
A little earlier the US confirmed $3bn (£2.5bn) of further military support for Ukraine – but a Ukrainian MP says even that might not be sufficient.
Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze told the BBC the resources already given to Ukraine haven’t been enough to go on a counter-offensive and “ensure that we are freeing our territories”.
Speaking ahead of the US announcement, Klympush-Tsintsadze added that Ukraine was grateful for all the aid delivered so far, but cited figures suggesting as much as $400m (£340m) was being spent by Kyiv every day on the war effort.
(BBC)
