In a statement issued by Mr. Dujarric, Guterres stressed that he urgently needs to be guided by such agreements, as passed by the UN Security Council (UNSC) in resolution 2202 of 2015.

Mr. Guterres urged all relevant actors to focus their efforts on guaranteeing immediate cessation of hostilities, protection for civilians and their infrastructure, and also called for preventing any actions and statements that could further aggravate dangerous situation in/around Ukraine.

At this time, diplomacy must be prioritized to address all issues in peace, said Mr. Dujarric.

Likewise, Mr. Dujarric noted, in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the UN General Assembly, the international body continues to fully support Ukraine´s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, within its internationally-recognized borders.

n this regard, he disapproved Russia’s decision to recognize the independence of the self-proclaimed autonomous regions of Donetsk and Lugansk.

On Tuesday, Mr. Guterres was scheduled to pay an official visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), but given the deteriorating situation in Ukraine, he called off his trip.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, on the other hand, said there is no other way than recognizing those territories in eastern Ukraine, and he pointed out that the West will keep its stance.

The leaders of the self-proclaimed autonomous regions of Donetsk and Lugansk, Denis Pushilin and Leonid Pásechnik, respectively, have already asked President Vladimir Putin to recognize the independence of those territories.

The Russian president expressed great concern about the worsening of Donbass situation and stressed he did as much as possible to peacefully thrash out Kiev-Donbass conflict.

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