UN chief urges end to senseless and ruthless war in Ukraine

United Nations: Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged the world to unite and end the war in Ukraine, calling it senseless, ruthless and limitless in its potential for global harm.

The top U.N. human rights official said even a one-day cease-fire would prevent dozens of civilian deaths and injuries and allow several thousand others to flee Russian attacks.

The U.N. Security Council meeting on the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine heard a briefing from Guterres on his recent meetings with the Russian and Ukrainian presidents that led to the first two evacuations this week from the besieged southeastern city of Mariupol and its last Ukrainian stronghold, the Azovstal steel plant.

Humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths said a third convoy left for Mariupol Thursday, expects to arrive Friday morning, and hopes to evacuate civilians from the plant.

Guterres said he did not mince words with Russian President Vladimir Putin that his country's Feb. 24 invasion of Ukraine is a violation of the country's territorial integrity and the U.N. Charter and it must end for the sake of the people of Ukraine, Russia and the entire world.