June 22 (Reuters) – Ukraine may revise its offer to Russia of a ceasefire along the de facto frontline if the United Nations Security Council fails to pass a resolution urging a full and unconditional end to the hostilities, a top Ukrainian official said on Monday.
Ukraine’s envoy to the UN, Andrii Melnyk, spoke during a lengthy session of the UN Security Council, the sixth such meeting called to address the war in recent months.
“Ukraine stands ready to engage in direct negotiations with Russia to secure a just and lasting peace in accordance with the UN Charter, but our patience is not endless,” he said, noting Ukraine had repeatedly urged the Security Council to adopt a resolution for a full and unconditional ceasefire.
“If the Security Council would further choose a wait-and-see approach, I cannot exclude that Ukraine may recalibrate and modify its offer. Ceasefire along the de facto front line is already a great compromise,” he said. He gave no further details.
Melynk insisted that Ukraine had changed the dynamic in the war, now in its fifth year, with recent strikes, adding that some 40% of Russia’s oil refineries had been damaged.
Joined by other Security Council members, Melnyk strongly condemned a Russian strike on the historic Pechersk Lavra monastery in Kyiv last week.
Russia has denied that it attacked the UNESCO World Heritage site, blaming the strike on a U.S.-made Patriot air defense missile, a claim repeated by a top Russian official during the UN session.
Moscow has said its attack targeted and struck drone manufacturing facilities, while Ukraine and many Western countries accused Russia of striking the monastery.
(Reporting by Andrea Shalal in Washington; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
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