UN chief launches effort for Ukraine humanitarian ceasefire

A halt to hostilities will allow humanitarian aid to be delivered and people to move safely, the secretary-general said, and “will save lives, prevent suffering and protect civilians”

A villager walks next to a destroyed Russian tank near the front line in Brovary, in the outskirts of Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, March 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd)

The United Nations chief has launched an initiative to immediately explore possible arrangements for “a humanitarian ceasefire in Ukraine” to allow the delivery of desperately needed aid and pave the way for serious political negotiations to end the month-long war.

Secretary-general Antonio Guterres said he used his “good offices” and asked undersecretary-general Martin Griffiths, head of the UN’s worldwide humanitarian operations, to explore the possibility of a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. He said Mr Griffiths has already made some contacts.