UAE calls on parties in Ukraine-Russia conflict to avoid targeting civilians

The United Arab Emirates has implored parties in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia to ensure civilian targets such as schools and hospitals are not targeted, the UAE’s Mission to the United Nations said in a statement on Monday.

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The UAE also “deeply regret[s]” the collapse of a plan to create humanitarian corridors to facilitate the safe evacuation of Ukrainian civilians.

While humanitarian corridors are “temporary and imperfect solutions,” they also represent an immediate measure to protect civilians, the statement added.

The UAE reiterated its call for a ceasefire, and humanitarian aid for Ukraine. The country will provide five million dollars in financial aid, and on

Monday sent an aircraft carrying 30 tonnes of emergency health aid and medical supplies, as part of its emergency relief efforts to assist the needy civilians in Ukraine.

After abstaining from a vote on a draft UN Security Council resolution to end the conflict on Friday February 25, the UAE voted in favor of a UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution on March 4 to launch an inquiry into alleged human rights abuses in the war.

The Kremlin proposed a ceasefire for Tuesday to allow civilians to escape unharmed through Belarus and Russia.

Ukraine initially rejected the proposal. A spokesperson for president Volodomyr Zelenskyy’s office called the plan “completely immoral,” saying that citizens should be allowed to flee through Ukrainian territory.

Ukrainian officials have accused Russian forces of committing war crimes by targeting civilian areas since launching an invasion on February 24.

The UNHRC said on Monday that it had confirmed the deaths of 406 civilians, including 27 children, since the fighting began, adding that the true figure is likely to be much higher.

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