UN Sec-Gen warns Russia-Ukraine conflict is leading world into 'wider war'

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres presented a bleak outlook connected nan early and nan request to return melodramatic action to debar world catastrophe.

At a Monday briefing to nan UN General Assembly connected nan year's priorities, Guterres noted that experts person wished that nan Doomsday Clock is person to midnight than ever.

"The Doomsday Clock is now 90 seconds to midnight, which intends 90 seconds to full world catastrophe," Guterres said. "This is nan closest nan timepiece has ever stood to humanity’s darkest hr – and person than moreover during nan tallness of nan Cold War."

Guterres pointed to a number of problems that nan world is facing, including ambiance change, poverty, and war. He was peculiarly worried astir nan warfare successful Ukraine that began erstwhile Russia invaded astir 1 twelvemonth ago.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned during an reside to nan UN General Assembly that nan Russia-Ukraine conflict could lead to a "wider war." (Jeff J Mitchell)

"The Russian penetration of Ukraine is inflicting untold suffering connected nan Ukrainian people, pinch profound world implications. The prospects for bid support diminishing. The chances of further escalation and bloodshed support growing," he said. "I fearfulness nan world is not sleepwalking into a wider war. I fearfulness it is doing truthful pinch its eyes wide open."

Guterres besides pointed to nan conflict betwixt Israel and nan Palestinians, arsenic good arsenic situations successful Afghanistan, Myanmar, Haiti and nan Sahel.

Guterres said nan world needs to look to nan UN's charter to activity toward peace.

"If each state fulfilled its obligations nether nan charter, nan correct to bid would beryllium guaranteed," he said. "When countries break those pledges, they create a world of insecurity for everyone."

Guterres said that nan Doomsday Clock successful reality "is a world siren clock."

"We request to aftermath up – and get to work," he said.

With that successful mind, he called for a New Agenda for Peace that has "to reside each forms and domains of threats, aged and new."

This, he said, included ending "the threat posed by 13,000 nuclear weapons held successful arsenals astir nan world," arsenic good arsenic "such measures arsenic world bans connected cyberattacks connected civilian infrastructure, and internationally agreed limits connected lethal autonomous weapons systems."

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"This year," he said, "let’s move guardant together pinch bold, innovative approaches truthful that nan United Nations tin amended fulfill its committedness "to prevention succeeding generations from nan scourge of war."