The UN Security Council met on the situation in Ukraine at the request of Denmark, France, Greece, the Republic of Korea (ROK), Slovenia and the United Kingdom. The Deputy Head of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Joyce Msuya, stressed that the past two weeks have been marked by “intense rocket and drone attacks, many of them at night and in sub-zero temperatures”, which continue to “kill and injure civilians, destroy critical infrastructure and disrupt essential services”.
Particular reference was made to the situation in Odessa and Kharkiv, where “12- to 18-hour power outages cut off heating and water in entire apartment buildings.” In Odessa, she said, a rocket attack “destroyed a substation that supplied power to several neighborhoods, including a center for displaced persons.”
Ms. Msuya warned that any strike on a substation or heating pipeline “risks causing major damage with serious consequences for civilians,” while the WHO has confirmed “hundreds of attacks on health facilities this year alone.”
The UN official urged the Council to use its influence to ensure compliance with the rules of international humanitarian law, safe and unhindered access for humanitarian assistance, and sufficient funding for the winter plan, which to date has only been covered by 65%.
In closing, he stressed that "Ukrainians do not have the luxury of waiting for better conditions. They are living their fourth winter under fire and in darkness."
Kayoko Gotti, an official at the UN Department of Political Affairs (DPPA), noted that 2025 was “one of the deadliest years on record,” with civilian casualties increasing by 24% compared to 2024.
Since the beginning of the Russian occupation, "14,775 civilians – including 755 children – have been killed and 39,322 others have been injured," according to verified data.
Ms. Goto recalled that attacks on infrastructure “are illegal and unacceptable, regardless of who carries them out”, while underlining that “systematic human rights violations are reported in the occupied territories”. She expressed deep concern about the incidents in the Black Sea, warning that they constitute “another step in the dangerous cycle of escalation”.
She reiterated that any peace solution must ensure "the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders."
The Permanent Representative of Greece, Ambassador Ag. Balta, during her statement expressed strong concern about the escalation of Russian aggression "amid a significant drop in temperature."
He gave particular importance to the issue of children, noting that “they must be particularly protected” and that in Ukraine “their rights to life, health, education and identity are violated every day”, with “more than 340 attacks on schools this year alone”.
Greece also welcomed the recent General Assembly Resolution on the “immediate, safe and unconditional return” of children from Ukraine who have been transferred to Russia.
Regarding the course of the peace process, Ms. Balta underlined that Greece supports the results of the talks in Geneva and Florida between the US and Ukraine. She recalled that “there can be no agreement on Ukraine and Europe without Ukraine and Europe.”
Greece called on Russia to abandon “maximalist claims” and engage constructively. Ms. Balta reiterated that Greece “will always stand by international law, the UN Charter and the principles of sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.”
"There can be no recognition of borders that have been forcibly changed. Such an act would constitute a flagrant violation of international law and would create a dangerous precedent," she stressed.
Ms. Balta concluded by noting that “the guns must fall silent so that the voice of peace can be heard.” Regarding the future of Ukraine, she emphasized that “Ukraine itself must have the final say, with credible security guarantees.”
