The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that Russia’s plan to annex four Ukrainian regions would mark a dangerous escalation in the war in Ukraine that would jeopardize the prospects for peace. According to him, any decision to proceed with the annexation of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhia regions of Ukraine would have no legal value and deserves condemnation. Guterres said that Russia, being one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council, has a responsibility to uphold the UN Charter, which prohibits the threat or use of force and champions the principle of sovereignty and territorial integrity. According to him, the planned annexation of Ukrainian territories has no place in the modern world and the global community is fully committed to the sovereignty, unity, independence, and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders. UN Chief called on Russia to de-escalate tensions and move to end this devastating and senseless war.
The war in Ukraine has entered seven months and gradually shaped into a more serious and disastrous issue for world peace and stability because both warring sides are relentlessly fueling the conflict through various means. Recently, Russian President Vladimir Putin repeated the regretful episode of forceful annexation of Creamia and blatantly annexed four Ukrainian-occupied regions including Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhia after staging fake referendums by using Russian state machinery. Accoridng to reports, Moscow-installed administrations in the four regions of southeastern Ukraine claimed high turnout in the referendum and proclaimed that the people in the area overwhelmingly backed the proposal to join Russia. Russia’s appointed administrators of four occupied territories had contracted annexation treaties with their mentor which were duly signed by the Russian President Vladimir Putin in a highly decorated ceremony held in Kremlin on Friday.
The international community has condemned the Russian-sponsored referendum and the forced annexure of Ukraine’s territories by the Kremlin. In fact, Putin failed to conquer the entire Ukraine therefore, it started seizing parts of the neighboring state to inflict maximum damage on competing nation. Interestingly, weeks before the annexure of Southeastern Ukraine, Russian President, Vladimir Putin claimed those regions as part of its country and vowed to use nuclear weapons if the need arises. On the other hand, Kyiv categorically rejected the forced annexure of its land and promised to punish traitors, and launched a counter-offensive to regain its territories from the enemy.
Currently, there is no international law and morals in the world as powerful nations are coining their own rules to dictate to other countries. The structural flaws of the UN became more evident because, the widely representative UN General Assembly has no say in world affairs and acts like a bare stamp, while the elite powerful club in the UN Security Council is divided into two competing groups, i.e. western bloc and the Russo-China alliance. Apparently, the UN must censure the Russian ruler who is blatantly violating international laws, disrespecting the sanctity of the UN Security Council, and abusing Russian permanent status at the world forum. In fact, the irresponsible behavior of powerful nations is causing serious challenges to international peace and stability. Hence, the global community must bring pivotal reforms, remove elite clubs from the UN and promote equal status for all member states if they don’t intend to repeat the history of the league of nations.
