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A woman holds a Ukrainian flag at a protest near the United Nations office, on the day of U.S.-mediated peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in Geneva, Switzerland, February 17, 2026. PHOTO: REUTERS

UNITED NATIONS:

Amid a dangerous escalation in the war in Ukraine following a wave of large-scale Russian strikes, Pakistan has called for an “immediate and complete” cessation of hostilities between the two sides to bring the conflict to an early end.

Speaking at a UNSC session, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, stressed the need to protect millions of people whose lives and livelihoods have been severely disrupted by the ongoing war.

“Recent escalation demonstrates yet again the imperative of pacific settlement,” Ambassador Ahmad told the UNSC.