The UN’s secretary-general, António Guterres, has demanded a halt to “nuclear sabre-rattling”, saying the world is at a “maximum moment of danger” and all countries with nuclear weapons must make a commitment to “no first-use”.
The UN chief described the situation at Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Europe’s largest, as critical. Shelling and fighting in the area continues.
In a statement released after ambassadors met at the UN security council on Monday, Guterres stressed:
Nuclear saber-rattling must stop … come to the negotiating table to ease tensions and end the nuclear arms race, once and for all.”
At this moment of “maximum danger for our world”, the secretary-general emphasised that “humanity’s future is in our hands”, insisting that division be replaced with dialogue and diplomacy, to “save succeeding generations from the scourge of war”.
He argued that negotiation, compromise, and accountability are required for the future, attesting that as it represents the nations of the world, the UN is “humanity’s best hope to build a better, more peaceful tomorrow”.