Russia-Ukraine war: Zelensky calls for ‘just punishment’ for Russia
Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky has told the UN General Assembly in New York that Russia must face “just punishment” for its invasion.
Zelensky in a pre-recorded video, called for the creation of a special war tribunal and detailed alleged war crimes by Russia.
Also, Zelensky set out a peace “formula”, including more military backing and to penalize Russia on the world stage.
Zelensky address earned a standing ovation from many of the session’s attendees.
Speaking in his introductory remarks, Mr Zelensky condemned Russia of inducing “catastrophic turbulence” with its “illegal war”.
He spoke on the same day Russian President Vladimir Putin called up 300,000 military reservists for duty, a move which provoked rare protests on the streets of Russia.
According to Mr Zelensky, the move indicated his enemy was not serious about peace talks.
He denounced recently-announced plans in Russian-occupied areas of his country to hold so-called referendums on joining Russia – a plan denounced by Western leaders at the UN on Tuesday.
The President said creating a special tribunal would help hold Moscow to account for stealing territory and murdering thousands of people.
He also spoke on the discovery of 445 new graves in Izyum, a north-eastern city recently retaken from Russian forces during a sweeping Ukrainian counter-offensive.
He detailed allegations of war crimes in the city, including against one man said to have been castrated and murdered.
“Why are the Russian military so obsessed with castration?” he asked.
He said Russia must face consequences for its aggression, he said, through further sanctions and by the UN stripping Moscow of its powerful role as a permanent Security Council member.
He also called for Ukrainian lives to be protected, and for the country’s internationally-recognised borders to be respected.
As his fourth and fifth conditions, he called for new security guarantees for Kyiv, and for the world to unite in calling out Moscow’s armed aggression.
Later on Wednesday, the European Union’s foreign policy chief said EU countries had agreed to hit Russia with new sanctions.
