UNGA session: Ukrainian President Zelenskyy accuses Russia of 'genocide', proposes 'peace formula'

With still no signs of a truce amid the raging armed conflict with Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, while accusing Moscow of being the aggressor and perpetrating “genocide” in his homeland, proposed a “peace formula” at the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Tuesday. Addressing the UNGA session, Zelenskyy claimed that Ukrainian children in Russia were being taught to “hate” their homeland, adding that all ties that Ukraine nationals have with their family members back home were being snapped. “We’re trying to get (Ukrainian) children back home, but time goes by. What will happen to them? Those children in Russia are told to hate Ukraine and all ties with their families are broken. This is clearly a genocide,” Zelenskyy said at the UNGA session. Putting forward a peace plan amid the continuing hostilities with Russia, Zelenksyy said, “For the first time in modern history, we have a real chance to end the aggression on the terms of the nation which was attacked.” Last month, during the peace talks hosted by Saudi Arabia, Zelenskyy said Ukraine had proposed a “peace formula” to “restore” the international rules-based order that had been “violated” by the Russian aggression. According to experts, Zelenskyy’s participation in the ongoing General Assembly session will boost worldwide support for Ukraine amid the continuing armed conflict with Russia. Further, during his address at the UNGA session, Zelenksyy said “unity” alone can make sure that such aggressions do not happen again. “It takes our unity to make sure that aggression will not [happen] again,” the Ukrainian President said. The visit this year marks the first by Ukrainian President Zelenskyy to the General Assembly since Russia launched a “full-scale invasion” of his nation in February 2022. More than 140 world leaders are meeting to discuss the pressing world issues at the 78th session of the ongoing United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York City. After the UNGA session, Zelenskyy is likely to visit Washington DC, for his second wartime appearance before the US Congress. The theme for the 78th UNGA session calls on world leaders to evaluate the UN’s 2030 agenda, which includes a deadline for its 17 Sustainable Development Goals. It urges “accelerating action” towards those aims in order to promote “peace, prosperity, progress, and sustainability for all”, according to Al Jazeera. The 78th UN General Debate began on Tuesday, kicking off a period of high-level discussions that will continue till 26 September. However, while the event is billed as a “debate,” it is actually a series of 15-minute statements delivered by world leaders on issues of their choosing. On 24 February, 2022, Russia allegedly invaded Ukraine in an escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War which began in 2014. The ‘invasion’ has killed tens of thousands on both sides. Russian forces have been accused of mass civilian casualties and of torturing captured Ukrainian soldiers.