Mr President, I thank the Secretary-General and Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo for their remarks. We are here tonight to call on Russia to avert war. For months, Russia has been holding a gun to Ukraine’s head. Now, President Putin’s finger is on the trigger. A full-scale conflict in a country of 44 million people will bring immense suffering, casualties on both sides and devastating humanitarian consequences. The members of this Council, the General Assembly, and the Secretary-General have all called this week for respect for the principles of the UN Charter. The world is calling for peace. …
