Pakistan urges immediate ceasefire as Russia-Ukraine tensions rise

Pakistan’s UN – (Special Correspondent / Web Desk) – Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Iftikhar Ahmad voiced serious concern this week over the escalating Russia-Ukraine conflict, urging both nations to immediately halt hostilities and resolve their differences peacefully through dialogue.

This comes shortly after Russia fired an intermediate-range hypersonic ballistic missile, named Oreshnik, at Ukraine last week. The missile, capable of carrying both nuclear and conventional warheads, sparked strong international criticism. Russia said the strike was in response to a reported Ukrainian drone attack on Dec. 29 targeting one of President Putin’s residences in northern Russia, a claim Ukraine denies.

February 2026 will mark four years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which has become Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II, leaving hundreds of thousands dead and forcing millions to flee their homes.

“We are deeply concerned about the recent escalation, with intensified attacks from both sides worsening an already dire humanitarian crisis,” Ahmad said during a UN Security Council briefing on Monday.

“Such actions not only perpetuate the conflict, but they also undermine trust, and the ongoing efforts for peace.”

The Pakistani envoy urged both sides to abide by the principles of international law and ensure civilians and civilian infrastructure are protected during the conflict. He said Pakistan’s position on resolving the issue through dialogue has not changed.

“Now, more than ever before, the overwhelming global opinion is on the side of ending this conflict through peaceful means,” Ahmad said. “This can only be achieved through a sustained, meaningful and structured dialogue.”

US President Donald Trump has been pushing both sides to strike a deal to halt the conflict, running shuttle diplomacy between Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky and Russia’s Vladimir Putin in a bid to get an agreement across the line. Plans to broker peace collapsed after an initial 28-point plan, which largely adhered to Moscow’s demands, was criticized by Kyiv and Europe.

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Ahmad appreciated the US for attempting to resolve the conflict through peaceful means.

“We hope that all sides would make full use of the ongoing diplomacy, demonstrate genuine political will, and engage constructively to make meaningful strides toward a peaceful and negotiated settlement of the conflict, starting with an immediate ceasefire,” he said.