Philippines condemns Russia's invasion of Ukraine, joins call for end to hostilities

A Ukrainian serviceman is seen in the window of a damaged residential building at Koshytsa Street, a suburb of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, where a military shell allegedly hit, on February 25, 2022. Russian forces reached the outskirts of Kyiv on Friday as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the invading troops were targeting civilians and explosions could be heard in the besieged capital. Pre-dawn blasts in Kyiv set off a second day of violence after Russian President Vladimir Putin defied Western warnings to unleash a full-scale ground invasion and air assault on Thursday that quickly claimed dozens of lives and displaced at least 100,000 people.

AFP / Daniel Leal

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is supporting a resolution at the UN General Assembly for Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukraine as it voiced "explicit condemnation" of the invasion and called for the protection of civilians and of civilian infrastructure.

In a statement at the emergency special session of the UN General Assembly, the Philippines joined the chorus of nations calling for an end to hostilities and pointed out that "while an offense can be stopped at will the defense cannot rest until the offense stops."

The Philippines also called for "massive assistance commensurate with the growing humanitarian crisis" and said that people caught in the conflict must have safe access to humanitarian assistance.

Full Story: https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2022/03/01/2164154/philippines-condemns-russias-invasion-ukraine-joins-call-end-hostilities