UN Assembly: Zelenskyy accuses Russia of weaponising food, energy, children in war against Ukraine

Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for international cooperation and consensus in member states' approach to Russia. 

Labelling the invading country as "terrorists," he warned that Moscow was weaponizing everything from food to energy to children in its war against Ukraine. He also called for sanctions and denuclearisation of the Russian Federation.

While individual nations have various agreements that restrict arms, “There are no real restrictions on weaponization,” Zelenskyy said. 

He also slammed certain European governments for their "political " theatre, a thinly veiled inference to Hungary, Poland and Slovakia who have vowed to maintain a ban on domestic sales of Ukrainian foodstuffs.

Zelenskyy's presence at the podium on Tuesday marked his first time at the United Nations since the Russian invasion, facing a fragmented international community shaken by serial crises, in particular the war in Ukraine.

A year ago, he was exceptionally authorised to deliver his speech via a video message.

This time, he is there in person, for the high-level session of the annual United Nations General Assembly, and a special meeting of the Security Council on Wednesday. 

Zelenskyy took to the world stage at a sensitive point in his country’s campaign to maintain international support for its fight. Nearly 19 months after Moscow launched a full-scale invasion, Ukrainian forces are three months into a counteroffensive that has not gone as fast or as well as initially hoped.

Ukraine and its allies cast the country’s cause as a battle for the rule of international law, for the sovereignty of every country with a powerful and potentially expansionist neighbour, and for the stability of global