Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russian troops of indiscriminately killing civilians “just for their pleasure” in an emotionally charged address Tuesday to the United Nations Security Council during which he questioned the very mandate of the Security Council itself.
Here's what to know about his UN speech:
It came a day after he
visited the Kyiv suburb of
Bucha, where shocking
images of bodies in the streets emerged over the weekend.
Zelensky said Russia’s
actions were no different from those of a terror group, except that Russia is a
permanent member of the Security Council.
Russia has veto power at
the UN and has previously used that to block a resolution condemning its
invasion of Ukraine.
The Ukrainian leader
criticized the body, asking representatives point-blank:
“Where is the security that the Security Council needs to guarantee? It is not there, though there is a Security Council.”
Zelensky told the UN it
should do one of two things:
One was to remove Russia
"as an aggressor and a source of war so cannot block decisions about its
own aggression, its own war."
The second, "If
there is no alternative and no option, then the next option would
be dissolved yourself altogether, " Zelensky said.
“It is obvious that the key institution of the world designed to combat aggression and ensure peace cannot work effectively," Zelensky said.
In his damning speech,
Zelensky said there was “not a single crime” that the Russians “would not
commit, ” alleging Russian troops had “searched for and purposefully killed
anyone who served our country.”
Zelensky also warned
that the horrors found in Bucha would be replicated in other cities across
Ukraine and demanded accountability.
The president also demanded full
and transparent investigations and security guarantees for Ukraine.