In his speech to the UN Security Council on Monday, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator set three immediate goals aimed at minimising what he called the “pain and suffering” that the entire world is witnessing in Ukraine.

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According to Martin Griffiths, the main goal is for parties to “must take constant care to spare civilians and civilian homes and infrastructure in their military operations.”

“This includes allowing safe passage for civilians to leave areas of active hostilities on a voluntary basis, in the direction they choose. All civilians, whether they stay or leave, must be respected and protected,” he said.

He then asked for “safe passage for humanitarian supplies into areas of active hostilities.”

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“Civilians in places like Mariupol, Kharkiv, Melitopol, and elsewhere desperately need aid, especially life-saving medical supplies. Many modalities are possible, but it must take place in line with the parties’ obligations under the laws of war,” Griffiths said.

Finally, Griffiths stated in his third point that there must be a “system of constant communication with parties to the conflict and assurances to enable the delivery of humanitarian aid.”

Griffiths stated that he has already communicated the three objectives to Ukraine and the Russian Federation, and that his office has dispatched staff to Moscow “to work on better humanitarian civil-military coordination,” allowing his team to scale up humanitarian activities.

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“We have planned, we have mobilized and fundraised and to meet the challenge we face. We have the capacity and the know-how to meet the most urgent needs in Ukraine, if the parties cooperate,” he said. 

“But make no mistake, we are unable to meet the needs of civilians today. I hope we will not fail them tomorrow,” he added.