United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Monday that countries must work to bring an end to the Russia-Ukraine war, calling for a just and lasting peace on the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion.

“We must spare no effort to bring an end to this conflict, and achieve a just and lasting peace in line with the UN Charter, international law and General Assembly resolutions,” he told the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva.

His remarks come ahead of a UN showdown on Ukraine later on Monday in New York, with the United States urging the General Assembly to back its resolution which it says is focused on ending the war and pits it against a rival text by Ukraine and European allies.

That motion repeats the U.N. demand that Russia withdraw its troops and halt hostilities.

Washington left its seat at the human rights council empty on Monday, in line with U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to disengage from the body which is the only intergovernmental organisation designed to protect human rights.

In the same speech, Guterres said that human rights around the world are being “suffocated” and referred to intolerable levels of death and destruction in Gaza as well as horrifying human rights abuses in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

–Reuters