Briefing to the Security Council on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine by Tom Fletcher, USG for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator

As delivered

You’ve heard a strong and comprehensive briefing from [Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary] DiCarlo, so let me just underline four points and make three brief asks.

As you’ve heard, civilian casualties in Ukraine far exceed levels this time last year. Civilians continue to face waves of drone and missile strikes, destroying homes, schools and hospitals. Entire communities forced to flee as hostilities intensify in front-line areas. For children, this means missed schooling, prolonged stress and fear, separated from loved ones.

At the same time, many civilians – including older people and those with limited means – remain in high-risk areas.

Second point to underline – these strikes on energy and other vital infrastructure are cutting civilians off from the basics of survival: electricity, water, heat. Tens of thousands of families across the country are left in the dark and cold for weeks on end. These attacks reflect a sustained pattern of damage to the systems on which civilians depend to survive, with humanitarian aid increasingly stepping in to fill the gaps left by the deterioration of essential services.

This is a population under constant strain, where the damage builds quietly but relentlessly, alongside the visible destruction.

Mr. President, a third point to underline: The conflict in Ukraine is increasingly characterised by the use of advanced technologies. Just one example. On 20 March, a team from the national NGO, Proliska Humanitarian Mission, an NGO I visited last year, came under fire while evacuating older people in the oblast of Donetska. A drone strike killed two women and injured two other evacuees. The evacuation van was clearly, clearly marked with the logo of the humanitarian organization. There must be an investigation, accountability and practical steps, to make sure this does not recur.

Mr. President, on a positive note, despite these immense challenges and the risks to humanitarian operations and our people, help is getting through.

In January alone, we and our partners reached nearly one million people with food, cash assistance, medical care, shelter and protection.

Over a cruel, cold winter, around 100 humanitarian organizations supported more than 1.6 million people.

And in recent days, an inter-agency convoy reached a front-line community in the oblast of Kharkivska, delivering help to some 500 residents in an area with no pharmacies and limited availability of basic services.

Of course, local organizations are the backbone of this effort and they deserve our support and our protection.

Mr. President, I close with three asks of this Council.

First, as you’ve heard, international humanitarian law must be upheld – here and, of course, everywhere. Please insist on the protection of civilians and the essential infrastructure on which they rely to survive. Civilians – including those trying to bring others to safety – must be protected. This includes taking all feasible precautions to avoid and minimize civilian harm.

Second, please ensure rapid, safe, unimpeded humanitarian access to all civilians in need, wherever they are, including across front lines. Our access in Russian-occupied areas remains severely constrained, limiting our ability to assess needs or deliver help to civilians.

And third, our 2026 Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan requires $2 billion to reach 3.6 million of the most vulnerable people with food, heating, medical care and protection. Nearly three-quarters of that plan is still unfunded. So please fund the response so that we can deliver life-saving aid at the scale and the speed needed.

Thank you.