Pakistan warns UN Security Council of spillover risks from protracted Ukraine conflict

WEB DESK: Pakistan has warned the international community against the potential negative consequences of protracted conflicts, highlighting the growing risks of miscalculation, expansion, and dangerous spillover effects.

The warning was delivered by Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, during an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council (UNSC).

The session was convened at the request of Romania following reported violations of its airspace.

Addressing the council, Ambassador Ahmad reiterated Pakistan’s continued advocacy for dialogue and diplomacy as the only viable path toward a peaceful settlement of the conflict in Ukraine.

He cautioned that further escalation risks transforming the current crisis into a much larger confrontation, carrying wider and more devastating implications for regional and global peace and security.

Concerns over airspace violations and drone warfare

Taking note of Romania’s request regarding the violation of its territorial airspace, Ambassador Ahmad reaffirmed Pakistan’s unequivocal support for the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the political independence of all states as enshrined in the UN Charter.

He emphasized that these principles form the absolute bedrock of inter-state relations and must be fully respected under all circumstances.

The Pakistani envoy termed the reported incursion of armed drones into the airspace of neighbouring countries as “alarming”.

He expressed Islamabad’s deep regret over reported civilian casualties and the destruction of critical civilian infrastructure resulting from such cross-border incidents.

Ambassador Ahmad observed that the conflict in Ukraine has introduced a precarious dimension to modern warfare through the relentless use of armed drones.

While acknowledging that these technologies have significantly altered battlefield dynamics, he stressed that the evolving landscape of humanitarian challenges associated with them remains a matter of grave concern.

He asserted that such technological warfare must be strictly addressed within the rubric and principles of International Humanitarian Law (IHL).

Call for dialogue and diplomatic settlement

Underlining the urgent need to bring the Ukraine conflict to an end, the permanent representative stated that achieving lasting peace requires a renewed commitment to the core tenets of the UN Charter, a genuine accommodation of the legitimate security interests of all sides, and absolute conformity with existing multilateral instruments.

“We, therefore, see an early resumption of the United States-facilitated dialogue process as the most credible path forward,” Ambassador Ahmad stated, adding that this specific channel, if reinvigorated, could provide a mutually acceptable way out of the devastating conflict.

Concluding his address, the ambassador reiterated that military means can never bring about lasting peace in the region.

He underscored the imperative for an immediate and complete cessation of hostilities, urging all parties involved to recommit themselves earnestly to the path of peace through sustained and meaningful dialogue.