Fifty-one United Nations member states called on Russia to accept a ceasefire and participate in peace negotiations to help end the war in Ukraine. The joint statement was published on September 23 on the Telegram channel of Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry.
The countries said in their statement that Ukraine wanted peace, and that Russia should halt the fighting and engage constructively in negotiations for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace.
The joint text recalled that Ukraine had accepted a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire in March. It also called on Russia to adopt the same approach.
The statement called on Russia to safely and unconditionally return Ukrainian civilians, including children, who had been arbitrarily detained, forcibly displaced or deported.
Maritime transport in the Black Sea and the export of Ukrainian grain were also addressed in the joint statement. The 51 countries argued that Russia was trying to prevent grain exports from Ukraine and said such actions posed a threat to global food security.
The countries also supported efforts to ensure freedom of navigation in the Black Sea.