Invited by Russia, Roger Waters tells UN: Ukraine invasion illegal
Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters on Wednesday addressed the UN Security Council at Russia's invitation, condemning Moscow's invasion of its neighbour as illegal - though adding he believed it was provoked - and calling for a ceasefire.
The High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Izumi Nakamitsu, said that in Ukraine, “The prospect of a negotiated settlement of the conflict seems, at present, to be slim as long as the current military logic continues to prevail.”
Briefing the Security Council on Feb 8, on Ukraine, Nakamitsu stressed that the large-scale influx of weapons into any armed conflict “amplifies concerns regarding the escalation of the conflict and risks of diversion.”
The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has recorded 18,657 civilian casualties. This total includes 7,110 killed and 11,547 injured. According to the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, the actual figures are likely considerably higher.
Explosive weapons cause most civilian deaths and injuries with wide-area effects, including heavy artillery, multiple-launch rocket systems, and missiles. Aside from destroyed homes, schools, roads, bridges, hospitals, and health facilities have also been attacked.
Nakamitsu said, “The disruption of water, gas, heating and electricity caused by Russian attacks on energy infrastructure is causing the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine to reach even more dire dimensions.”
The High Representative for Disarmament Affairs stated that these attacks constitute “an unacceptable escalation of the war, and civilians are paying the highest price.” She said, “further escalation and prolongation of the conflict will only bring more unbearable suffering. The transfer of military equipment in support of Ukraine must not derail the aspiration for peace.”
She then reiterated the General Assembly’s call to support the de-escalation of the situation and a peaceful resolution of the conflict, with respect for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders and by the principles of the Charter.
Roger Waters, artist and civil peace activist, also addressed the Security Council. He asked, “What are your goals, by the way? And here, maybe I direct my inquiries more to the five permanent members of this council. What are your goals? What is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow? Bigger profits for war industries? More power globally? A bigger share of the global cake? Is Mother Earth a cake to be gobbled up?
Waters also stated, “The invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation was illegal. I condemn it in the strongest possible terms. Also, the Russian invasion of Ukraine was not unprovoked. So, I also condemn the provocateurs in the strongest possible terms.”
He concluded, “From the 4 billion or so brothers and sisters in this voiceless majority – who, together with the millions in the international anti-war movement, represent a huge constituency - enough is enough. We demand change. President Biden, President Putin, President Zelenskyy, USA, NATO, Russia, the EU, all of you, please change course now. Agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine today.”
Representing his country, Vasily Nebenzya, Permanent Representative of Russia to the United Nations, said to the Council, “The problem is that the leavers that could influence the pursuit of a peaceful settlement to the conflict around Ukraine have ended up in the hands of western arms companies and corporations, and they, as you will fully understand, are the last people who would be interested in peace.”
Zhang Jun, Permanent Representative of China, Richard Mills, Deputy Permanent Representative of the United States, and Sergiy Kyslytsya, Permanent Representative of Ukraine, briefed the Council, too.
Zhang Jun, Permanent Representative of China, said the Ukraine crisis is “global and multifaceted in nature to which there is not a purely military solution.” He added, “In the past year, parting on sanctions and upgrading weapons did not calm the situation but instead made the conflict more acute and issues more complicated, pushing the situation to a more dangerous precipice.”
Richard Mills, Permanent Representative of the United States, said, “The security assistance, including weapons that the United States and more than 50 other countries are providing and will continue to provide, is for Ukraine’s self-defence.” He stressed, “This distinction cannot be more important. Ukraine is using its weapons to repel the invading Russian forces that are committing war crimes on Ukraine’s territory.”
Sergiy Kyslytsya, Permanent Representative of Ukraine, said, “If the Security Council remains immobilized by the evil-doer himself and cannot punish it, let us and all responsible nations do this work for the Council and for our common good, as the first lines of the UN Charter read ‘…to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war.’”
