German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called on her Russian counterpart to end the war in Ukraine, saying it was imperative if Russia cares about its citizens' lives. The G20 foreign ministers are meeting in Brazil.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock called out her Russian counterpart at a high-level foreign ministers' meeting Wednesday, saying Russia ought to end the war in Ukraine.
"If you care about human lives, if you care about your own people, Russian children and young people, you must end this war now," the German top diplomat told Sergey Lavrov.
The two were seated at the same table as they participated in a foreign ministers' meeting of the world's 20 richest economies, dubbed the Group of 20 or G20.
Baerbock said Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, soon approaching its second anniversary on February 24 was "more than a regional conflict."
The Russian war of aggression, she said, "challenges us all to resolutely defend the fundamental principles that protect us all in the United Nations Charter, international law and human rights. These principles protect all nations, no matter how big or small."
The UN Charter was signed in 1945 and established the Security Council with five permanent members, each of whom has the power to veto any resolution they oppose.
Russia, one of the permanent members of the Security Council, has used its power to block any resolution condemning its war in Ukraine.
This has sparked repeated criticism of the powerful global body. The Council has also once again come under fire for not being able to decidedly act on limiting civilian casualties in Gaza as the United States, another permanent member, has vetoed resolutions calling for a cease-fire.
"The effects of these two wars are hitting the poorest people the hardest around the world," Baerbock said, with the second war in reference to the conflict in Gaza. She called for peace in both Ukraine and the Middle East region.
