The Security Council held a briefing on 23 September 2026 at under the formal agenda item “Maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine”. Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs briefed the Council.
She warned that the war in Ukraine is entering a “dangerous new phase”, with attacks intensifying, civilian casualties mounting and the risk of regional spillover growing. In the first eight months of 2026, more civilians were killed or injured in Ukraine than during all of 2025.
Since February 2022, at least 17,257 civilians, including 835 children, have been killed in Ukraine and another 53,693 injured, she said. Civilian casualties from Ukrainian attacks inside the Russian Federation have also increased significantly, with Russian authorities reporting 443 killed and 2,932 injured from January through August.
Cross-border drone incidents and military activity around nuclear facilities are heightening fears of further regional spillover. With winter approaching, attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure could leave millions without heat and electricity, she warned, calling for an immediate moratorium on attacks against population centres.
Reaffirming Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, she urged intensified diplomacy towards an immediate, full and unconditional ceasefire. “Diplomatic engagement must be matched by meaningful de-escalation,” she stressed, warning that without it, risks to civilians, the region and international peace and security will only grow.
