The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy gave a speech before the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday, and criticized the attempts to lead to peace in Ukraine in exchange for territorial concessions.
"Ukraine gave up its third largest nuclear arsenal. The world then decided Russia should become a keeper of such power. Yet, history shows it was Russia who deserved nuclear disarmament the most back in the 1990s, and Russia deserves it now - terrorists have no right to hold nuclear weapons," said Zelenskyy.
He also said: "The mass destruction is gaining momentum. The aggressor is weaponizing many other things, and those things are used not only against our country but against all of yours as well."
"Our ports on the Black and Azov Seas have been blocked by Russia. Our ports on the Danube river remain the target for missiles and drones. It is a clear Russian attempt to weaponize food shortage on the global market in exchange for recognition of some, if not all, of the conquered territories. Russia is launching food prices as a weapon."
Zelenskyy thanked nations that continue to import Ukrainian grain despite the war, and commented: "We have launched a temporary sea export corridor from our ports, and we are working hard to preserve land routes for grain exports."
He went on to accuse other nations of apathy towards the war: "It is alarming how some nations in Europe engage in political theater, turning grain into a thriller, seeming to play their own role, but in reality, they are setting the stage for a Moscow actor."
"Second, weaponization of energy," Zelenskyy continued. "We have seen many times where Russia weaponized oil and gas to weaken other countries, and now, this threat is even greater. Russia is weaponizing nuclear energy. Not only is it spreading its unreliable nuclear technology, it is turning other countries' nuclear power plants into real dirty bombs. Is there any sense in reducing nuclear weapons while Russia is weaponizing nuclear power plants?"
"The third example is children. Unfortunately, various terrorist groups have attacked children to put pressure on their families and societies, but never before have mass deportation and kidnapping become official government policy - not until now. We know the names of tens of thousands of children, and have evidence of hundreds of thousands of others, kidnapped by Russia in the occupied territories of Ukraine and later deported."
"The ICC has issued an arrest warrant for Putin for this crime. Those children are taught to hate Ukraine, and all ties to their families are broken. This is clearly a genocide." He added a warning to the Assembly: "When hatred is weaponized against one nation, it never stops there."
"Every decade, Russia starts a new war. Parts of Moldova and Georgia remain occupied. Russia has turned Syria into ruins. And if not for Russia, chemical weapons would never have been used there. Russia has almost swallowed Belarus. It threatens Kazakhstan and the Baltic states. The goal of the current war is to turn our lands and our resources into weapons against you. Many seats may become empty in the Assembly hall if Russia succeeds with its treachery and aggression."
He then urged the Assembly to accept the Ukrainian peace formula, claiming that more than 140 nations already supported it and warning against attempts to negotiate with Russia separately: "I am aware of attempts to make some shady deals behind the scenes. Evil cannot be trusted. Ask Prigozhin if you should bank on Putin's promises."