Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern moments before President Volodymyr Zelensky's speech. Photo / Pool
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern moments before President Volodymyr Zelensky's speech. Photo / Pool
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky beamed into the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday afternoon, New York time, decrying Russia's "evil" invasion and calling the country a "terrorist state".
"Russia wants war - it's true," Zelensky said.
"Mankind and international law are stronger than one terrorist state. Russia will be forced to end this war, the war it has started," he said.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern made it to the General Assembly Hall for Zelensky's speech, and took part in the standing ovation that followed it - as did New Zealand's entire delegation.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky did a video address to the UN General Assembly this morning. Image / Screengrab
After the speech, Ardern spoke with the First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska who is in New York.
Zelensky presented a "peace formula" to the United Nations, urging countries to sanction Russia in punishment for the war, and to keep sanctions up until reparations were paid.
Zelensky demanded Russia be served "punishment for the murders of 1000s of people, punishment for the torture of the humiliation of women and men, punishment for the catastrophic turbulence that Russia provoked with its illegal war - not just Ukrainians but for the whole world".
Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska arrives prior to an address by her husband Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly. Photo / AP
He called for a special UN tribunal to punish Russia and that it should be deprived of its veto right on the UN Security Council. Russia is one of just five countries with a veto right on that council.
"Russia should pay for this war with its assets," he said.
Zelensky said such an action would be a "punishment for Russian officials who value money above all else.
"The world must protect life," Zelensky said.
"We can return the Ukrainian flag to our entire territory, we can do it through force of arms but we need time," he said.
Zelensky called for more aid, including military aid like weaponry to continue the war effort against Russia.
He warned that "Russia wants to spend the winter on the occupied territory of Ukraine and prepare for a new offensive: new Buchas, new Iziums".
Ardern only just made it to the speech. Her schedule meant she would have missed the speech owing to a bilateral meeting with Ukraine's prime minister Denys Shmyhal. But that meeting ran ahead of time and Ardern was able to get across the road to the UN headquarters in time for Zelensky.
Ardern and Shmyhal discussed the legal mechanisms that could be used to hold Russia to account for its actions in that meeting and New Zealand has supported other international calls for Russia to be held to account for the invasion and the alleged war crimes that have taken place in the country.
Earlier in the day, she voiced concerns about a recent escalation of the conflict, with Russian President Vladimir Putin threatening to use even more destructive weapons - including possibly nuclear weapons.
Zelensky spoke through a pre-recorded video. This usually is not allowed but 101 countries voted to allow Zelensky an exemption.
Zelensky called out the seven nations who cast votes against the video, accusing Russia, Belarus, Cuba and others of being the seven nations "who are afraid of a video".
