UN secretary general reaffirms readiness to help Ukraine

KYIV. April 29 (Interfax-Ukraine) - The United Nations is helping Ukraine, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said at a press briefing in Kyiv on Thursday evening following a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

"The Security Council failed to do everything in its power" to prevent and end this conflict, Guterres said, adding that, nevertheless, UN staff are helping the Ukrainians, working at 30 locations in Ukraine.

The UN realizes that this work is not ideal, Guterres said, also offering assurances that the UN will step up its efforts to help Ukraine.

"I am here to pledge that we will boost our efforts across the board," he said.

The UN has already provided life-saving humanitarian aid to 3.4 million people inside Ukraine, he said.

"And we are aiming to more than double that number to 8.7 million," he added.

Some recent estimates show a worst-case scenario in which some 25 million people could be in need of humanitarian assistance by the end of this year, Guterres said.

"We are expanding our cash assistance - [...] reaching 1.3 million people by May and covering 2 million by August. This will be done in very close coordination with the Ukrainian Government," Guterres said.

With more than 12 million Ukrainians who have fled their homes, the UN is supporting host countries that have received around 5 million refugees, he said.

"But, more important, we are increasing our capacity to meet the needs of the 7.7 million that have been displaced inside the country based on the recent survey by the International Organization for Migration," Guterres said, adding that "peace must be established in line the charter of the United Nations and international law."

According to Ukraine's government's press service, Guterres also met with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, they discussed ways to arrange humanitarian corridors, support for internally displaced persons and the rebuilding of the country's infrastructure.

Ukraine's economic losses keep growing every day, Shmyhal said, calling on the UN to help rebuild the country, the press service said after the meeting.

Shmyhal also thanked the UN for its support extended to Ukrainian refugees and internally displaced persons.

"He called on the organization to become more actively involved in efforts to unblock and open humanitarian corridors for the safe evacuation of civilians," the press service said.