UNITED NATIONS, February 1. /TASS/. The United Nations calls upon all actors to refrain from "provocative rhetoric and actions" in the situation surrounding Ukraine, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo has said.
"We further urge all actors to refrain from provocative rhetoric and actions to maximize the chance for diplomacy to succeed," she told the UN Security Council on Monday. "Achieving mutual understanding and lasting, mutually acceptable arrangements is the best way to safeguard regional and international peace and security."
"The United Nations stands ready to support to support all efforts to that end," the UN official added. "There can be no alternative to diplomacy and dialogue to deal with the complex, long standing security concerns and threat perceptions."
A UN Security Council session, convoked on US initiative, was held on Monday. Russia and China opposed the meeting, saying that discussions on groundless accusations can lead only to escalation of tensions.
The West and Kiev have recently been echoing allegations about Russia’s potential invasion of Ukraine. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov castigated these claims as "empty and unfounded", serving as a ploy to escalate tensions, pointing out that Russia did not pose any threat whatsoever to anyone. However, Peskov did not rule out the possibility of provocations aimed at justifying such claims and warned that attempts to use military force to resolve the crisis in southeastern Ukraine would have serious consequences.