Over 50 UN Member States Demand Russia Accept Unconditional Ceasefire in Ukraine

More than 50 UN member states on Monday urged Russia to accept a full and unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine and return to talks aimed at lasting peace. The diplomatic push coincided with Kyiv marking 35 years since declaring independence from the Soviet Union.

Danish Foreign Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen delivered the joint statement at the UN on behalf of an alliance including the UK, France, Germany, Greece, Canada, North Macedonia, Japan, Ukraine, and the EU. “Ukraine wants peace. We want peace,” Mr Rasmussen stated, strongly urging Moscow to respond to calls for an immediate ceasefire and resume negotiations in accordance with international law and the UN Charter.

The coalition emphasized that Russia could end the conflict immediately by accepting the terms sought by Ukraine and the international community. The statement was issued four and a half years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion, coinciding with Ukraine's Independence Day.

In addition to halting hostilities, the group demanded the completion of prisoner-of-war exchanges, the release of unlawfully detained individuals, and the safe return of forcibly transferred or deported Ukrainians, including thousands of children. They also warned that the war's destabilizing effects are expanding globally, citing European airspace breaches, drone incidents, and attacks on Black Sea grain shipments and Ukrainian ports that threaten global food security.

Reaffirming support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity within internationally recognized borders, the countries stressed there is no alternative to a just and lasting peace. The appeal comes as intense fighting continues, with mounting civilian casualties and rising tensions over critical shortages of air defence systems, as highlighted by Ukraine’s UN ambassador Andrii Melnyk.