UN chief warns world ‘sleepwalking into wider war’ as Ukraine readies for 2nd year at war

Amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, United Nations Chief António Guterres has warned that the "chances of escalation and bloodshed are growing". While delivering a speech at the General Assembly, he stated that escalation in the Russia-Ukraine conflict could mean the world is heading towards a “wider war”. The speech by the UN secretary general was mainly focused on Russia’s invasion, the climate crisis, and extreme poverty. 

As Russia's invasion of Ukraine is set to enter its one-year anniversary on February 24, the UN chief fears the world is headed into a wider conflict “with its eyes wide open".

Taking to Twitter, António Guterres wrote, " The Russian invasion of Ukraine is inflicting untold suffering on the Ukrainian people, with profound global implications. I fear the world is not sleepwalking into a wider war, but doing so with eyes wide open. We need peace - in line with the @UN Charter & international law."

The Russian invasion of Ukraine is inflicting untold suffering on the Ukrainian people, with profound global implications.

I fear the world is not sleepwalking into a wider war, but doing so with eyes wide open.

We need peace - in line with the @UN Charter & international law.

— António Guterres (@antonioguterres)

The prospects for peace keep diminishing, says UN chief  

While talking about the current Ukraine crisis, he implored, “We need to wake up – and get to work.” The UN chief also read out the list of urgent issues for 2023 and the first was the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which is soon approaching to one-year anniversary. 

“The prospects for peace keep diminishing. The chances of further escalation and bloodshed keep growing, I fear the world is not sleepwalking into a wider war. I fear it is doing so with its eyes wide open,” said  Guterres. 

He further talked about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,  Afghanistan, Myanmar, the Sahel, and Haiti. While calling for a two-state solution for Israeli-Palestinian conflict, he said the rights of Afghan women and girls were being “trampled and deadly terrorist attacks continue" “If every country fulfilled its obligations under the [UN] Charter, the right to peace would be guaranteed,” he said.