British rock musician, composer and activist speaks at UN Security Council meeting
“The most reasonable action today is a complete ceasefire in Ukraine. Without any conditions whatsoever,” Roger Waters, musician of Pink Floyd, addressed the members of the UN Security Council today with these words. Waters was invited to the meeting by the Russian Federation. The meeting was devoted to issues related to the supply of weapons to Ukraine.
Roger Waters strongly condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and called it “illegal”. He also condemned the actions of the so-called “provocateurs”, who, in his opinion, provoked this war. The musician did not explain who he considers such “provocateurs”. In his very emotional speech, he condemned the “eternal wars” that empires unleash for colonial conquest. He called for an end to the war in Ukraine and all wars in general – and then, in his words, humanity will be able to “feed all the hungry” and avoid nuclear Armageddon.
“I speak for millions of those whose voices have not yet been heard – we do not profit from the war,” said Roger Waters, speaking to the UN Security Council by video link. “We do not raise our sons and daughters to become cannon fodder… We cannot afford to lose even a single life of a Ukrainian or a Russian. None. They are all precious in our eyes. It’s time to speak the truth to the rulers. Do you all remember the tale of the naked king? Of course you remember. So here are the leaders of your respective empires standing naked before us today.”
It was the desire of Western companies to profit from the war that Russia tried to explain that peace in Ukraine had not yet been achieved. Russia’s permanent representative to the UN, Vasily Nebenzya, said that “the levers for achieving peace have fallen into the hands of Western arms corporations,” and they are allegedly just playing for time to make as much profit as possible. Nebenzya said that the money allocated by the United States in support of Ukraine does not reach Ukraine, but flows directly into the American military-industrial complex.
However, the Russian position was parried and rejected by most of the diplomats who spoke at this meeting. The representative of Japan, for example, said that it was not at all about enriching the military-industrial complex, but about “restoring the dignity of people and stopping the Russian threat.” The representative of the UK said that her country is proud of the help that it provides and will provide to Ukraine, because it “defends its territory and its freedom.” And the American diplomat stressed that Russia, blaming the arms companies for everything, is trying in this way to absolve itself of responsibility for the war in Ukraine.
“The security assistance, including weapons, provided by the United States and 50 other countries and will continue to be provided is designed to protect Ukraine in self-defense,” said Richard Mills, Deputy Permanent Representative of the United States to the UN. “Ukraine is using these weapons to counter the Russian army, which is committing war crimes on Ukrainian soil. These weapons are designed to stop Russia’s constant shelling of Ukrainian cities, and are also designed to intercept Russian missiles that target power lines and other civilian targets. We reject Russian accusations that Ukrainian self-defense is an obstacle to stopping the war. Nobody wants peace in Ukraine more than the Ukrainians themselves.”
Izumi Nakamitsu, the UN High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, also spoke at the meeting of the Security Council. According to her, the UN is concerned about the escalation of the situation in Ukraine, which is associated with Western arms supplies, as well as Russian arms supplies to a private military company that is fighting on the territory of Ukraine. Nakamitsu meant the Wagner Group. She also recalled that more than 18,500 civilians in Ukraine had already suffered during the year of the war, and more than 7,000 of them were killed.
Serhiy Kyslytsya, Ukraine’s permanent representative to the UN, echoed Ukraine’s position that Russia “illegally” took over the seat of a permanent member of the Security Council previously held by the Soviet Union. Since it has the power of veto, this makes the Security Council powerless in the face of Russian aggression in Ukraine.
“I want to respond to those who call for peace at any cost, including the cost of sacrificing Ukrainian territory and the price of forgiving lost Ukrainian lives,” Serhiy Kislitsa said. — Guru of non-violence Mahatma Gandhi said: “Temperance means forgiveness only when there is power to punish for crimes. It is meaningless when it comes from impotence. I want to ask those who call for peace at any cost, and all those present here: are you ready to show this power and punish the one who does evil?”
source: golosameriki
