UN chief calls Ukraine war 'a stain on our collective conscience'

A woman reacts as she stands in front of a grave at a local cemetery, as she pays tribute to the victims of the Russian attack on Ukraine, on the day marking the fourth anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion, in Chernihiv, Ukraine February 24, 2026. REUTERS/Maksym Kishka

WASHINGTON, Feb 24 (Reuters) - Four ⁠years after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, U.N. Secretary ⁠General Antonio Guterres said the war there remained "as a stain ‌on our collective conscience" and reiterated calls for an immediate ceasefire.

In remarks for a session of the United Nations Security Council to mark the fourth anniversary ​of Russia's invasion, Guterres commended the efforts ⁠of the United States and ⁠others to end the war, but said concrete measures were needed ⁠to ‌de-escalate and create space for diplomacy.