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STORY: UN / UKRAINE
TRT: 05:21
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / RUSSIAN / CHINESE / NATS
DATELINE: 31 JULY 2025, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
FILE – NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, United Nations headquarters
31 JULY 2025, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, Security Council
3. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Dmitry Polyanskiy, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Russian Federation:
“Today, many in the West, due to political expediency, have started donning sheep’s clothing and speaking about the possibilities of diplomacy. We, as you all well remember, never rejected such possibilities from the very beginning. Even after the unconstitutional coup in Kyiv in February 2014, carried out by a regime that set out to eradicate all things Russian and launched military actions against its own citizens in eastern Ukraine, we still agreed to the Minsk Package of Measures, endorsed by UN Security Council Resolution 2202.”
4. Med shot, Khrystyna Hayovyshyn
5. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Dmitry Polyanskiy, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Russian Federation:
“I believe everyone following the development of the Ukrainian crisis has noticed that the emergence of a more conciliatory tone in the statements of our opponents has magically coincided with the depletion of the military potential not only of the Kyiv regime but also of its Western sponsors. Today, the issue is not so much a lack of resources to support Ukraine militarily—those can be found, albeit with difficulty, even by NATO countries suffering from the very sanctions they imposed on Russia. The problem lies, first, in the exhaustion of weapons stockpiles that could be supplied to Ukraine. Second, as I’ve already said, Ukrainians themselves no longer want to fight, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to force them into the trenches.”
6. Med shot, Khrystyna Hayovyshyn
7. SOUNDBITE (Russian) Dmitry Polyanskiy, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Russian Federation:
“We still hear voices from those who view diplomacy solely as an opportunity to criticize and pressure Russia. They are pushing a logic that does not fit the context of the Ukrainian crisis—the idea that the only measure of Russia’s readiness for peace is our agreement to an unconditional and prolonged ceasefire. Why does that logic not fit? Because, as the case of the Minsk Agreements—which I mentioned earlier—has shown, we’ve already been down that road.”
8. Wide shot, Security Council
9. SOUNDBITE (English) John Kelley, Acting Representative to the United Nations, United States:
“Both Russia and Ukraine must negotiate a ceasefire and durable peace. It is time to make a deal. President Trump has made clear this must be done by August 8. The United States is prepared to implement additional measures to secure peace.”
10. Wide shot, Security Council
11. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Geng Shuang, Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, China:
“The parties to the conflict are not under Council sanctions. China has no more trade relations with Russia than Ukraine. By doing so, it doesn't violate international law or breach its international obligations. China's legitimate rights and interests must not be infringed upon. In fact, till now, the US has continued its economic and trade activities with Russia. If the US is doing that itself, why it doesn't allow others to do the same. You can set fire to houses where others can even light lamps – is that the logic?”
12. Wide shot, Security Council
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Khrystyna Hayovyshyn, Chargée d’Affaires, Permanent Mission to the United Nations, Ukraine:
“The Security Council is meant to meet and discuss real problems, threats to international peace and security, and the name of the real problem is written on that country, name plate, Russian Federation.”
14. Med shot, Dmitry Polyanskiy
15. SOUNDBITE (English) Khrystyna Hayovyshyn, Chargée d’Affaires, Permanent Mission to the United Nations, Ukraine:
“Just last night, on the eve of this meeting, Russia unleashed yet another ruthless assault on Ukraine with 309 UAVs and 8 cruise missiles from different directions. As of now, 11 people were killed in the attack on Kyiv with the death toll rising and one child among them. Another 135 civilians were wounded across the capital including 11 children. Ukraine has requested the Presidency to convene a separate Security Council meeting to discuss these real attacks on peace and security.”
16. Wide shot, Security Council
17. SOUNDBITE (English) Khrystyna Hayovyshyn, Chargée d’Affaires, Permanent Mission to the United Nations, Ukraine:
“Today’s meeting – convened at the request of the Russian Federation – is both cynical and morally repugnant. The very state that launched the largest war of aggression in Europe since the Second World War now attempts to portray itself as a victim of so-called “Western interference.” This is not only a grotesque distortion of reality which is used by the Russian state for years – it is also an insult – to the multilateralism, to the United Nations, to the principles enshrined in its Charter, to all of you, distinguished members of the Security Council. But above all, to the memory of the tens of thousands of Ukrainians who have lost their lives as a result of Russia’s war of aggression.”
18. Wide shot, Security Council
19. SOUNDBITE (English) Khrystyna Hayovyshyn, Chargée d’Affaires, Permanent Mission to the United Nations, Ukraine:
“How is it possible that individuals under sanctions, those who directly support and enable this war, are still flying freely and participating in international events as if nothing has happened? What message does that send to the aggressor – and to its victims?”
20. Wide shot, end of Security Council
Russian Federation told the UN Security Council that it has always been open to diplomacy in Ukraine. "Today, many in the West, due to political expediency, have started donning sheep’s clothing and speaking about the possibilities of diplomacy. We, as you all well remember, never rejected such possibilities from the very beginning," said Dmitry Polyanskiy, Russia’s Deputy Permanent Representative. He recalled Moscow’s support for the Minsk Package of Measures, endorsed by the Council in 2015.
Briefing the Security Council today (Jul 31) Polyanskiy said recent calls for peace coincided with the "depletion of the military potential not only of the Kyiv regime but also of its Western sponsors." He added that the problem lies "in the exhaustion of weapons stockpiles" and in that "Ukrainians themselves no longer want to fight."
Responding to ongoing pressure for a ceasefire, he said, "They are pushing a logic that does not fit the context of the Ukrainian crisis—the idea that the only measure of Russia’s readiness for peace is our agreement to an unconditional and prolonged ceasefire. Why does that logic not fit? Because, as the case of the Minsk Agreements—which I mentioned earlier—has shown, we’ve already been down that road."
U.S. Acting Representative John Kelley said, "Both Russia and Ukraine must negotiate a ceasefire and durable peace. It is time to make a deal." He added, "President Trump has made clear this must be done by August 8. The United States is prepared to implement additional measures to secure peace."
China’s Deputy Ambassador Geng Shuang said that China’s trade with Russia does not violate international obligations and pointed to what he described as double standards. "If the US is doing that itself, why it doesn't allow others to do the same? You can set fire to houses where others can even light lamps – is that the logic?" he asked.
Ukraine’s representative, Chargée d’Affaires Khrystyna Hayovyshyn, said the meeting itself, initiated by Russia, was "both cynical and morally repugnant." She said, "The very state that launched the largest war of aggression in Europe since the Second World War now attempts to portray itself as a victim of so-called 'Western interference.'"
Hayovyshyn reported that "just last night, on the eve of this meeting, Russia unleashed yet another ruthless assault on Ukraine with 309 UAVs and eight cruise missiles from different directions." She said eleven people were killed in Kyiv, including a child, and 135 were wounded across the capital. She said that Ukraine has formally requested a separate meeting about the attack.
