U.N. official urges immediate, unconditional ceasefire in Ukraine, cites deadly April attacks

Rosemary DiCarlo, speaking at a United Nations meeting, urged a “full, immediate, and unconditional ceasefire” in Ukraine and condemned recent strikes that she said have killed and injured many civilians across multiple regions.

DiCarlo said the most recent assault, on the night of April 23–24, combined missiles and drones and struck multiple regions including Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Dnipro (referred to in the transcript as “Dnieper Piotrovsk”), Kharkiv, Poltava, Mel?nitsky (name in transcript unclear), Odesa, Sumy and Zaporizhzhia. “In Kyiv alone, multiple residential buildings were hit. At least 12 people were reported killed and more than 70 others injured, including several children,” she said.

The statement placed the attacks in a broader pattern of civilian harm. DiCarlo cited Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) figures saying that, as of April 24, OHCHR had verified 151 civilians killed and 697 injured in April, and that since February 2022 OHCHR had verified 13,015 civilians killed — including 699 children — and 31,628 civilians injured, including 2,016 children.

Why this matters: DiCarlo framed the violence as a challenge to the U.N. Charter and international law and said attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure “must cease immediately.” She highlighted diplomatic activity — including announcements of temporary truces, a U.S. proposal for a 30-day ceasefire, and an April 20 prisoner exchange that she described as the largest to date involving 500 prisoners — as signs that diplomacy can yield results.

DiCarlo said the U.N. remains engaged on related issues including the safety of navigation in the Black Sea to support global food security and maintain strained supply chains. She noted continued attacks on energy infrastructure despite earlier commitments by the United States, the Russian Federation and Ukraine to a moratorium on such strikes.

The statement reiterated longstanding U.N. positions: DiCarlo said a just, comprehensive and sustainable peace must fully respect Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within internationally recognized borders, in accordance with the U.N. Charter, international law and relevant U.N. resolutions. She condemned “all attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure wherever they occur.”

DiCarlo also referred to recent Russian announcements of temporary truces — including a 72-hour truce planned for a period in August and an earlier 30-hour Easter truce — and said Ukrainian authorities had indicated willingness to mirror some such steps. She cautioned, however, that hostilities continued during Holy Week and both sides accused the other of violations.

The U.N. official closed by calling again for an immediate ceasefire and saying the United Nations is prepared to support “all meaningful efforts” toward a just and sustainable peace.