António Guterres made the statement in a speech to the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, news outlets reported.
The UN chief spoke ahead of a vote on a Ukraine-backed motion calling for “a just and lasting peace” in the country that would require Russia to withdraw its troops, Germany’s public broadcaster Deutsche Welle reported.
Guterres described Friday’s one-year anniversary of the invasion as “a grim milestone for the people of Ukraine and for the international community,” Britain’s The Guardian newspaper reported.
The UN chief stressed that Russia’s war was a violation of the founding UN Charter and international law.
He said: "As I said from day one, Russia's attack on Ukraine challenges the cornerstone principles and values of our multilateral system."
Guterres also referred to Moscow’s hints that it might use nuclear weapons.
He stated: "We have heard implicit threats to use nuclear weapons. The so-called tactical use of nuclear weapons is utterly unacceptable. It is high time to step back from the brink."
The draft UN resolution is likely to be put to a vote on Thursday, Deutsche Welle reported.
The document reaffirms the UN's "commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity of Ukraine" and demands that Russia "immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine."
China’s top diplomat meets Putin in Moscow
Meanwhile, China’s top diplomat Wang Yi was hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Wednesday, US broadcaster CNN reported, as China and Russia reaffirm their strong bilateral ties.
Meeting reporters alongside Weng, Putin said Russian-Chinese relations were “developing as we planned” and “reaching new milestones.”
Wang told Putin that China would play a “constructive” role in reaching a political settlement of the crisis in Ukraine, according to Russian state media, The Guardian reported.
Putin makes speech to mark one year of war
The Russian president on Wednesday made a speech at a rally in Moscow to mark one year of his “special operation” in Ukraine, UK broadcaster Sky News reported.
Taking to the stage at the “Glory to Defenders of the Fatherland” concert, held at the Luzhniki Stadium in the Russian capital, Putin praised Russian soldiers who he said were “fighting heroically, courageously, bravely” to “defend the fatherland,” according to The Guardian.
Crowds of thousands gathered at the rally, news outlets reported.
Thursday is day 365 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
(pm/gs)
Source: dw.com/en, The Guardian, CNN, Sky News