France wants the UN to adopt a resolution on humanitarian aid to Ukraine

Europe 1 with AFP 06:45, February 28, 2022

France will submit a draft resolution to the UN Security Council on Monday "in order to guarantee unhindered humanitarian access, to meet the urgent needs of the populations remaining in Ukraine" invaded by Russia, the Elysée announced on Sunday evening.

In New York, the French ambassador to the UN, Nicolas de Rivière, hoped in front of journalists that a vote would be organized on Tuesday.

Some of France's partners in the Council, for their part, would like the vote to take place later and only take place after the adoption of a resolution criticizing Russia by the United Nations General Assembly, expected in the middle of the week.

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France will call for a ceasefire

The position on the French plan for Russia, which on Friday vetoed a Security Council resolution calling for the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine, is not known at this stage.

"Beyond emergency humanitarian action, France will call in this context for a ceasefire which must precede any peace talks," said the Elysée in a press release.

During international telephone conversations throughout the weekend related to the war in Ukraine, French President Emmanuel Macron "and his interlocutors (made) the same observation of a need to work on the conditions for the proper delivery of aid humanitarian aid to Ukraine," added the Elysée.

An urgent meeting on Monday

Beyond putting a resolution for humanitarian purposes to the vote, France has requested an emergency meeting on Monday at 3 p.m. (8 p.m. GMT) of the UN Security Council to discuss the humanitarian crisis generated by the conflict in Europe.

Officials from the United Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs and the High Commissioner for Refugees must participate in this session requested by French President Emmanuel Macron, a diplomat requesting anonymity told AFP in New York.

France also asked that the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, intervene at this meeting, according to the same source.

The war launched on February 24 in Ukraine by Russia could cause more than 7 million displaced people, according to a European commissioner.

It has already forced European countries in particular to multiply reception structures, or to announce donations, alongside other States.

The Americans had recently estimated the number of refugees to be expected at 5 million if the conflict continued.