UN responds to Zelensky: Guterres not authorized to declare genocide anywhere in the world

SANAA, Feb. 27 (YPA) – The United Nations responded to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s request from its Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Saturday evening to describe the Russian military operation in Donbass as “genocide”.

“The Secretary-General cannot alone determine whether genocide is taking place anywhere in the world,” Secretary-General’s spokesman Stéphane Dujarric told the media.

“This must be done through a particular legal process,” he said.

“For the United Nations, genocide can only be determined through legal proceedings,” he explained,  adding that it was not the prerogative of the Secretary-General to declare genocide anywhere in the world.

At one time, Volodymyr Zelensky reportedly asked during a conversation with Guterres to strip Russia of its UN Security Council veto power and to recognize Moscow’s actions in Ukraine as “genocide.”

E.M