US tells UN: Russian strikes on Ukraine cast doubt on its desire for peace

By Michelle Nichols

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) -Deadly missile and drone strikes on Ukraine "cast doubt on the seriousness of Russia’s desire for peace," the United States told the U.N. Security Council on Friday, warning that Washington could punish Moscow with economic measures if it continues the war. 

"The United States calls on the Russian Federation to avoid these consequences by stopping the violence and engaging constructively to end the war," U.S. diplomat John Kelley told the 15-member council. 

"Russia must decide now to move toward peace. The leaders of Russia and Ukraine must agree to meet bilaterally," he said. 

Russia pounded Ukraine with deadly missiles and drone strikes early on Thursday in a sweeping attack. The strikes on Kyiv "cast doubt on the seriousness of Russia’s desire for peace. These strikes on civilian areas must stop immediately."

Diplomatic efforts to end Russia's full-scale invasion have so far yielded little, even after U.S. President Donald Trump met separately with the Russian and Ukrainian leaders earlier this month.

"Russia continues to choose killing over ending the war," Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko told the Security Council. "We should take this into account in our efforts aimed at peaceful resolution and establishment of reliable security guarantees. These guarantees shall protect both Ukrainian sovereignty and the lives of Ukrainian people, especially children."

"Our people must feel safe already today. That's why ceasefire remains an essential prerequisite for successful future negotiation," she said. 

Russia's Deputy U.N. Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy said Moscow was prepared to consider a summit with Ukraine "provided that there is thorough prior preparation for such a meeting and the substantive content of it, otherwise, it would simply not have any meaning."

He said the United States was "more and more understanding the need to address the root causes of the conflict without which it won't be possible to resolve it." Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, calling it a "special military operation" designed to "denazify" its neighbour and halt dangerous NATO expansion to the east.

(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)