Hope for Russia-Ukraine talks ‘barely' alive, says UN
Family and relatives bury their loved ones killed in a Russian strike in Korostyshiv, Zhytomyr region, Ukraine. (AP pic)
NEW YORK : Hope is 'just barely' alive in the negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, a senior UN official said Thursday, denouncing the recent 'brutal surge in large-scale Russian attacks' against Ukraine.
UN under-secretary-general for political affairs Rosemary DiCarlo told the Security Council that the 'cautious hope' she expressed a month ago has diminished in the face of recent aggressions.
'According to Ukrainian officials, with 355 drones, Monday's attack was the largest drone attack on Ukraine since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion,' DiCarlo said, adding: 'This topped the previous record from the night before.'
Despite no declaration of a ceasefire, DiCarlo praised diplomatic efforts in Istanbul on May 16 when Ukrainian and Russian delegations met, saying 'it is encouraging that the sides have reportedly agreed to continue the process.'
'The massive wave of attacks over the weekend is a stark warning of how quickly this war can reach new destructive levels. Further escalation would not only aggravate the devastating toll on civilians but also endanger the already challenging peace efforts,' DiCarlo said.
'The hope that the parties will be able to sit down and negotiate is still alive, but just barely.'
Relaunched in mid-February by Washington, talks aimed at reaching a diplomatic settlement to the conflict that erupted with Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022 have so far yielded no results.
John Kelley, acting US alternate representative, seemed to echo DiCarlo's frustration, insisting that prolonging the war was not in anyone's best interest.
'If Russia makes the wrong decision to continue this catastrophic war, the US will have to consider stepping back from our negotiation efforts to end this conflict,' he warned.
'Additional sanctions on Russia are still on the table.'
DiCarlo insisted that 'serious, demonstrable and good faith efforts are needed –- now –- to get back on the road that could lead to a just peace.'
'A full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire is such an effort, if only an initial one,' she said.
According to the UN, a 'just peace' respects sovereignty and the territorial integrity of Ukraine.
The Kremlin said Thursday that it was awaiting Kyiv's response to its proposal for new talks in Istanbul next Monday.
Ukraine, which accuses Russia of buying time, seeks Moscow's conditions before any meeting, and is calling for sanctions against Moscow to be 'expanded and strengthened.'
'Russia is not signaling any genuine intention to stop its war,' Ukrainian deputy ambassador Khrystyna Hayovyshy told the council.
'Therefore we see no alternative but intensified international pressure, political, military and economic,' she said.
Russian ambassador Vassily Nebenzia rejected her accusations, instead accusing Kyiv of 'attempting to prolong the war.'
'No new anti-Russian sanctions, nor deliveries of weapons to Ukraine or any other hostile steps vis-a-vis Russia will be able to prevent the inevitable military defeat of the Zelensky regime,' he insisted.
DiCarlo acknowledged that 'a peace process will not be easy, and it will take time.'
'But it must not wait,' she insisted. 'The people of Ukraine, especially, cannot wait.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Iran top diplomat to meet UN nuclear chief in Cairo
CAIRO: Iran's top diplomat and chief nuclear negotiator will meet the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Cairo on Monday, Egypt's foreign ministry said. The tripartite meeting would be between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty and IAEA chief Rafael Grossi, the ministry said in a statement. It comes a day after a report by the UN agency showed Iran has stepped up production of uranium enriched up to 60 percent -- close to the roughly 90 percent level needed for atomic weapons. The UN report was leaked as Iran holds talks with the United States on its nuclear programme, after Washington unilaterally abandoned a landmark agreement between Tehran and world powers in 2018 during President Donald Trump's first term. The 2015 deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, aimed to stop Iran from developing a nuclear bomb -- a goal Western countries accused it of pursuing, though Tehran denies it. During his visit to Cairo, Araghchi was also scheduled to meet Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Iran's Tasnim news agency reported. The Iranian minister said on Saturday that he had received 'elements' of a US proposal for a potential nuclear deal following five rounds of talks mediated by Oman. Araghchi said he spoke to Grossi in a phone call on Sunday, warning against possible European sanctions. He urged the IAEA chief to stop 'parties from exploiting' the nuclear watchdog report 'to advance their political objectives'. The UN agency's board of governors is set to review Iran's nuclear activities in its upcoming quarterly meeting in Vienna starting June 9.
Malay Mail
2 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Russia says it has Ukraine's peace proposal ahead of Istanbul talks
ISTANBUL, June 2 — A senior Russian official said on Sunday that Moscow has received Ukraine's draft memorandum outlining a possible peaceful resolution of the ongoing conflict, Anadolu Ajansi (AA) reported. Putin's adviser, Vladimir Medinsky, who would head the Russian delegation during peace talks in Istanbul on Monday, told Russia Today that the document was submitted in both Ukrainian and English languages. 'The Russian delegation previously received a version of the memorandum concerning a peaceful resolution from Ukraine,' Medinsky said. He added that the language of the document was not an issue and noted that key points had already appeared in Western media. Medinsky also said Russia would announce its stance on the Ukraine issue on Monday. On Sunday, Ukraine's president said that his government will strive to achieve 'at least some progress on the path toward peace' during talks set to take place in Istanbul, despite not receiving any ceasefire memorandum from Russia. — Bernama-Anadolu
The Sun
3 hours ago
- The Sun
New ‘currency' for ageing Malaysia
LAST week, my 75-year-old neighbour waited two hours for someone to help her carry the groceries. According to DOSM (Department of Statistics Malaysia), Malaysia marked the fewest births ever recorded in our history, with only 93,500 babies born, which implies an 11.5% drop from the same period last year. This fertility downturn, combined with the rapidly ageing society, poses a profound threat to Malaysia's economic and social sustainability. Fewer young Malaysians are being born and each subsequent generation is shrinking in size. DOSM has warned that this phenomenon poses major challenges to demographic structures, economic growth and social balance. In plain terms, fewer working-age people will be supporting more retirees, which can strain our pension funds, healthcare system and economic vitality. At the same time, Malaysians are living longer and having fewer children. By 2040, over 17% of Malaysians will be seniors (aged 60 and above), which qualifies us as an 'aged' nation. By 2057, more than 20% of our citizens are projected to be over 60, a level the UN defines it as 'super-aged'. This implies fewer taxpayers and caregivers for every elderly person. In 1970, nearly half our population was under 14, and only 5.5% were over 60; however, today, only about 22% are children while seniors consist of more than doubled to 11.6%. If this trend continues, who will be there to support and care for our ageing communities and one day, even us? The ageing wave is already here. In the face of economic and social crisis, we must think beyond baby bonuses and begin innovating how we support an ageing society. Social currency for future care Imagine a system where doing good today can earn you security tomorrow. By implementing the social currency model, young Malaysians can earn credits by volunteering their time and skills to help others by assisting the disabled to cross the roads, bringing the elderly to the hospital or simply providing basic tech support for neighbours. For every hour spent contributing, volunteers can bank 'time credits' in a dedicated account. In their older age, they (or even their family members) can redeem these credits for services or care from the communities or partnering organisations. Essentially, this social currency can turn volunteer hours into a form of savings for future care, which can be interpreted as 'paying it forward'. This is not a utopia. Some countries, such as Japan, which has one of the oldest populations, initiated a 'Fureai Kippu' time-credit system as early as the 1970s, in which volunteers earned 'love currency' by caring for the elders, which they or their families could soon use for their own care needs. Thailand also set up a government-backed 'JitArsa Bank', a time bank for volunteers that is fully funded by their Older Persons Ministry. Malaysia can also learn from these models and leapfrog with a programme tailored to our local communities, with the right support. From community bonds to sustainable ageing At its heart, this scheme encourages Malaysians to engage within their communities. Young people, instead of being isolated by screens every day, can find purpose in tangible acts of service. According to KRI Institute (2022), participants in similar time-bank programmes abroad have reported greater life satisfaction and new friends made across age groups. In short, stronger community bonds today mean a more cohesive nation tomorrow. By crowdsourcing eldercare and other social support to willing volunteers, Malaysia can reduce the pressure on our formal welfare and healthcare systems. Community caregiving can improve access to services and cut costs through local support networks, delaying or even preventing the need for expensive institutional care. More importantly, social currency bonds the generations together in a fair exchange. In effect, we create a self-sustaining loop of support, in which each generation 'pays' into the system with time and 'withdraws' support later. Moreover, by formalising it as a 'currency', the support network becomes reliably exchangeable and not just a matter of charity. A volunteer can trust that their kindness is recorded and will be reciprocated. Such a system provides a path for creating a world where no one needs to fear being left behind simply because they outlived their relatives or savings. This is a bold idea but Malaysia has the heart and we need to make it real. It is time to reimagine how we will care for the people we already know we will have. It will benefit the government and citizens. The government does not need to spend more. It needs to invest smarter by mobilising the energy of today's youths for the needs of tomorrow's elderly. Let us build a Malaysia where helping others is not just a kind act but, more importantly, becomes part of our economy. Yap Wen Min is a policy analyst at HEYA Inc, a non-profit think-tank and people's academy, where she focuses on topics such as eldercare, volunteerism and community resilience.
