United Nations in Ukraine

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a global call to action to end poverty, protect the earth’s environment and climate, and ensure that people everywhere can enjoy peace and prosperity. These are the goals the UN is working on in Ukraine:

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Press Release

24 January 2026

THIS SYSTEMATIC CYCLE OF ATTACKS ON THE ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE MUST END

Since the start of 2026, residents of Ukraine have not experienced respite from the Russian Armed Forces attacks. Overnight, at least one person was reported killed, dozens were injured, and hundreds of thousands are facing electricity, heating and water cuts.In Kharkiv, a dormitory sheltering displaced people who had fled front-line violence was struck. A hospital and residential homes were damaged.In Kyiv, thousands of apartment buildings that had been gradually reconnected to essential services following the 9 and 20 January lost access again in sub-zero temperatures. The entire city of Chernihiv and hundreds of thousands of families across the Chernihiv Region were left without electricity.Heroic repair service crews, civil protection and humanitarian workers continue to repair the damage and to support people in freezing temperatures.This systematic cycle of attacks on energy infrastructure violates international humanitarian law and must end. Civilians must be safe and warm in their homes and not live in fear of the losses the next round of destruction may bring.

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Press Release

22 January 2026

UNOPS Repaired 21 Educational Facilities in Kharkiv Region, Ukraine, with EU Support

To accelerate the recovery process and return children to safe learning environments, the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), with funding from the European Union, is implementing the “School Repairs in Ukraine” project. As part of the project, 21 educational facilities in Kharkiv city and Kharkiv region have already been restored, ranging from kindergartens and schools to vocational colleges. Most of these facilities have been equipped with shelters, where children and staff can stay safely and comfortably in case of emergencies.Overall, the project has restored 65 facilities in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Chernihiv, and Sumy regions. More than 70 educational facilities will receive support under the project. The total project budget is €28 million. “In-person learning does more than provide education — it gives children a sense of stability, opportunities for social interaction, and emotional support. This is why helping to restore schools and equip them with safe shelters remains one of the European Union’s key priorities,” said Marianna Franco, Head of the EU Humanitarian Aid Office in Ukraine.Each facility underwent a detailed technical assessment to determine the extent of damage and the necessary repair work. Restoration activities included the replacement of windows and doors, roof repairs, facade insulation, heating system upgrades, and refurbishment of classrooms, sports halls, corridors, and restrooms. Thanks to the restored shelters, some schools are now able to conduct lessons safely, contributing to the stabilization of community life and a return to normal daily routines.“We are deeply grateful to the European Union for its consistent support in restoring educational infrastructure. This support goes far beyond rebuilding physical structures — it is about restoring stability, predictability, and hope for thousands of families. It is about rebuilding life and the future,” said Marysia Zapasnik, acting Director for UNOPS Ukraine and East Europe. Notes to the editors:Bona fide media are permitted to use photos stored in the folder for reporting on the project with the attribution © UNOPS/Veronika YareskoPress contact details:Alina Abramenko, Communications Senior Associate, alinaa@unops.org Mykhailo Turianytsia, Communications Officer, mykhailot@unops.orgAbout UNOPSUNOPS offers practical solutions across peace and security, humanitarian and development operations. We help the United Nations, governments and other partners, such as the European Union and its Member States, to manage projects, and deliver sustainable infrastructure and procurement across the world. Read more: www.unops.org

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Publication

12 January 2026

Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict — December 2025

Summary
• Civilian casualties in December 2025 remained high, with at least 157 killed and 888 injured. The number of casualties in December was similar to the casualty numbers in recent months, but a 66 per cent increase compared with December 2024 (109 killed; 522 injured).• The total civilian casualties in Ukraine in 2025 reached at least 2,514 killed and 12,142 injured, which is a 31 per cent increase compared to 2024 (2,088 killed; 9,138 injured) and a 70 per cent increase compared to 2023 (1,974 killed; 6,651 injured).• In December, long-range strikes with missiles and loitering munitions launched by Russian armed forces accounted for 33 per cent of all civilian casualties (34 killed; 308 injured), usually affecting urban centers far from the frontline. 67 per cent of civilian casualties occurred near the frontline (122 killed; 571 injured). Short-range drones, predominantly with first-person-view capacity, remained the primary cause of civilian casualties in frontline regions (58 killed; 256 injured), followed by artillery shelling and MLRS strikes (43 killed; 165 injured), and aerial bombardments (21 killed; 150 injured).• As in the previous month, the vast majority of civilian casualties (96 per cent1) occurred in areas under the control of the Government of Ukraine. Civilian casualties were recorded across 15 regions of Ukraine and the city of Kyiv.• The Russian Federation continued large-scale, as well as region-specific attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Odesa region was among the most affected areas in December, experiencing repeated strikes that resulted in prolonged power outages in several cities.

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Press Release

21 January 2026

Veterans join humanitarian demining efforts in Kharkiv Oblast

Kharkiv, Ukraine, 21 January 2026 — A new cohort of 40 demining specialists, including war veterans and families of service members, has begun field operations across Kharkiv Oblast. Having completed intensive training in non-technical survey (NTS) and explosive risk education, these specialists – many of whom are veterans with disabilities – are now leading the effort to return safe land to their communities. The intensive training programme is being implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ukraine with the support of the governments of the Netherlands and Luxembourg, in partnership with the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine, the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine, and the Mine Action Coordination Centre. Operational implementation of the project is carried out by the state enterprise Ukroboronservice.The three-week training course combined theoretical lectures, practical field exercises, safety procedures, and the use of digital tools. Upon completion of the course, all participants received official offers of employment with Ukroboronservice for a period of 12 months.Ihor Bezkaravainyi, Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine, noted: “Mine action is a long-term effort that requires a large number of trained specialists. In my view, engaging veterans significantly strengthens this area of work. It covers a wide range of tasks — from explosive risk education and data analysis to clearance and disposal. This work is essential to making communities safer and returning land to productive use.”The programme graduates have formed 10 teams, which will work in communities across Kharkiv Oblast over the course of the year, helping to reduce risks to the civilian population.Kharkiv Oblast was selected as a pilot region due to its having one of the highest levels of contamination with explosive hazards in Ukraine: Since the start of the full-scale invasion, 430 people have been injured by explosive hazards in the region – more than 30 percent of all such cases nationwide.For participating veterans, the programme has provided an opportunity not only to acquire a new profession, but also to return to an active civilian life and contribute to work that has a direct impact on public safety.Yuliia Kirillova, Deputy Minister of Veterans Affairs of Ukraine, added: “State veteran policy is not only about support after service, but about creating real opportunities for a dignified return to civilian life. Employment is one of the key tools for such a return. That is why it is essential for us that training programmes are immediately linked to official jobs and clear professional prospects.”“This initiative to train humanitarian demining specialists is an example of how, in partnership with UNDP, international donors and other government institutions are creating jobs for veterans and families of service members while strengthening community safety and the country’s recovery,” Kirillova noted.Auke Lootsma, UNDP Resident Representative in Ukraine, emphasized: “Supporting veterans is one of UNDP’s priorities in Ukraine, and for us it is important that this support goes beyond assistance, and creates real opportunities. This project combines employment for veterans with work that is critically important for the country – humanitarian demining and improving community safety.”Yevhen Ivanov, Deputy Head of the Kharkiv Regional Oblast Administration, added: “For Kharkiv Oblast, humanitarian demining has a direct impact on everyday life in communities and on people’s ability to live and work safely. Through this project, veterans have the opportunity not only to gain a new profession, but also to return to active civilian life and contribute to work that is critically important for the region.”Media inquiries:
Yuliia Samus, Head of Communications and Advocacy, UNDP Ukraine; yuliia.samus@undp.org

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Story

30 January 2026

Hot-water bottles, sleeping bags and camping gas

For nine days, three-year-old Dasha has lived in a flat with no heating. Each night, her mother Iryna places two five-litre plastic bottles filled with hot water into Dasha’s cot — makeshift hot-water bottles to help her daughter sleep.To heat the water, Iryna uses a small camping gas canister. She cooks porridge on it too. The family lives in Kyiv’s Dnipro district, an area hit during a large-scale attack on critical infrastructure.Across Kyiv and the country, millions of families are enduring prolonged disruptions to heating, electricity and water, at a time when temperatures in some places have dropped as low as –18°C. Cold with nowhere to hide“Today, for the first time in days, we had electricity for an hour,” Iryna says. “We barely managed to charge our phones. Water comes and goes. But the hardest part is the lack of heat.”She points to damaged radiators in the building. “They tried to restart the heating yesterday, but the pipes burst throughout the house. You can see huge cracks on the radiators — they’re ruined.”Some of the windows in the family’s flat are covered with plywood. The glass blew out from the blast wave. Dasha’s grandfather, Anatolii, 72, is repairing the balcony, trying to seal the gaps so even more cold doesn’t seep inside. For Iryna and Anatolii, the past nine days have become a single task: keeping a child warm. Iryna layers Dasha in pyjamas and a fur-lined waistcoat, then wraps her in several blankets.“I can’t bathe her, she starts shivering from the cold,” Iryna says, exhausted. “At home, in warm clothes, with hot-water bottles and blankets, she eventually warms up. But you should see how she cries when we have to go down to the shelter.”The family does not ignore air raid alerts. Their building has been shelled more than once. But each trip to the basement is another test for a small child. If the temperature inside their flat hovers around +13°C, in the dark, non-residential shelter it barely reaches +5°C.“Dasha cries and says the air raids won’t let her sleep,” Iryna says, lifting her daughter into her arms. Dasha buries her face in her mum’s chest — her mother’s hug is the warmest place in the home. “I really want the lights to come back”In another part of Kyiv, Tetiana returns from a shopping centre with her eight-year-old son Yehor, where they went to charge phones and warm up. While they were out, frost spread across the windows of Yehor’s ground-floor bedroom.“It’s been cold at home for many days,” Yehor says. “So I keep a torch on. These days I sleep in my clothes, and mum covers me with a sleeping bag. And I really want the lights to come back. I want to go to school, because my friends are there. At home it’s dark and sad.” Tetiana says her son struggles most with the darkness. Yehor has a disability related to his eyesight, and in low light he can barely see.“We had no electricity at all for four days,” she says. “Now they switch it on for a couple of hours, but it’s not enough to heat the flat. Frost keeps forming on the windows.”A warm tent that feels “almost like nursery"To help residents cope, SESU has set up warming points across Kyiv. In the bright orange tents, families can warm up, eat hot food, charge devices, and speak to a psychologist — or simply sit somewhere heated and safe. UNICEF has supported these warming points with psychosocial support materials, including toys and board games, so children can play, decompress and regain a sense of normality — helping both children and adults cope better with stress, fear and the biting cold.Inside one tent, four-year-old Mila plays with her friend, shaping colourful animals from modelling clay. Mila’s kindergarten was damaged by shelling — windows were blown out, and there is no heating. “The kindergarten is closed,” says Mila’s 68-year-old grandfather, Viktor Mykolaiovych. “Her parents are at work. At home we had no electricity for four days. What is a small child meant to do in the dark and cold? So I brought her here — to warm up and be around other children. It’s good these places exist.”An SESU worker offers Viktor a hot tea and hands Mila a biscuit. The girl takes it, smiles, and says: “It’s almost like my nursery.”In a couple of hours, Mila and her grandfather will climb the dark stairwell back to their flat on the 12th floor — without electricity, the lift does not work. But for a little while, warmth and play allow a child to forget the harsh conditions she has lived with for more than a week.UNICEF’s winter response started months ago and builds on investments made in previous years, as well as scaled-up support following the latest emergency situation. This includes: Strengthening district heating systems and bolstering energy supplies to reduce disruptions and keep water flowing, hospitals functioning and heating running. Winter cash assistance targeting 320,000 people, including 145,000 children so parents can prioritize their children’s urgent needs.Winter grants to 1,500 educational facilities to help them conduct urgent upgrades to stay open and ensure a more child-friendly environment for some 445,000 students.UNICEF’s winter response is made possible thanks to the vital support of partners including Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through KfW, the UK Government, the European Union, the US Government, the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Government of Sweden and the Danish Government.

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29 January 2026

Olha Zota on building robots, breaking stereotypes and inspiring a new generation of women in STEM: “Innovation comes from diversity”

Emerging from a 3D-printing experiment during the pandemic, her flagship model “KULYA” has become a symbol of resilience and ingenuity amid the challenges of war. A passionate STEM advocate, she works to inspire more girls and women to pursue careers in science, technology and engineering while challenging gender stereotypes in the tech sector. “I am an innovator, a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and gender equality ambassador.” – Olha Zota Zota’s journey into robotics started almost by accident. During the pandemic, she and her team were experimenting with 3D printing when a playful idea emerged: could we build our own robot?“That experiment became ‘KULYA’ - and people’s reactions showed it was something bigger,” she recalled. “When we filed our first patent and strangers started asking on social media, ‘Can I order one too?’, I realized it was no longer a hobby. It was the beginning of a company - and a vision to create an ecosystem where robotics and imagination meet.”“UkraineRobotics” was founded amid the ongoing war in Ukraine - a reality that, for Zota, defines its identity. “Adaptation is part of our DNA. From the beginning, we had to design, test and share our work during blackouts, evacuations and uncertainty. ‘KULYA’ became our symbol of resilience - a robot that kept evolving even when circumstances were against us.” – Olha ZotaZota has also found ways to combine innovation and art. She collaborated with artist Kateryna Tymoshenko to create “Impulse,” an interactive robotic flower featured at the “Serendipitous Events” exhibition organized by UN Women and the “Port of Culture” NGO in Kyiv. The flower, adorned with traditional Petrykivka painting, came to life at the touch of a button, unfolding its petals in wave-like motion under a beam of coloured light.“I wanted to show that technology can be both emotional and alive - that it can respond to human presence just as we respond to the world around us,” she said.Zota's road to becoming a tech leader was not easy.“It was hard for me to accept myself as a CEO. I had never seen a woman in that role in my field. I saw women in tech, but mostly in administrative positions. Only now I understand that the key is to stop doubting yourself.” – Olha ZotaSexism in IT and engineering, she said, remains widespread. “It is often seen as humour - part of tradition, especially among men over 40. At first, it hurt. But then I realized: my motivation is to break gender stereotypes.”“UkraineRobotics” recently received its first investment from a woman investor. “Women work great,” Zota said proudly.“Women leaders in science and engineering start-ups bring more revenue and long-term sustainability. I always hired women in IT, even when people advised me not to because of a ‘male team’. But innovation does not happen in monolithic teams.” – Olha ZotaThrough diverse initiatives, including “Youth4Social Change,” run in cooperation with UNFPA under the “EU 4 Gender Equality” programme, Tsilosani continues to challenge the deeply rooted stereotypes of rural Georgia. She wants girls to see that they can belong anywhere - including in labs, factories and boardrooms.“When you are young, you rarely see women scientists. Girls are not taken to factories or shown how machines work. I did not even know this profession existed,” she said. “So my advice to girls in STEM: choose what you love and start exploring it. Do not listen to anyone. People often expect women to be convenient, but everything begins with small moves. And if there are not enough real role models, inspiration can come from anime or anywhere else. Technology is for people who are driven by ideas, not by gender. When your invention speaks for itself, stereotypes quickly lose their power.”Zota sees untapped potential in women’s innovation - and believes it is key to Ukraine’s future. “There are women in this field, but too few. If we create the right conditions, it will help rebuild Ukraine during and after the war. Women leaders think more about sustainable development - and that is what our recovery needs.”When asked why more women should enter STEM, she is clear.“Because technology shapes the future, and if women are not part of it, the future will be incomplete. Innovation comes from diversity. When more women enter STEM, the field becomes not only smarter, but also more human.” – Olha Zota This story is part of “She Changes the Norms” campaign, produced in the framework of the “EU 4 Gender Equality: Together against gender stereotypes and gender-based violence” programme (phase 2), funded by the European Union, and implemented jointly by UN Women and UNFPA. This article was produced with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of UN Women and UNFPA and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.

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21 January 2026

UN Assembly president defends multilateralism, UN Charter in Davos

Annalena Baerbock, the President of the 80th General Assembly, says the rules‑based order can survive only if states speak the truth and act when it’s hard. She called for a cross‑regional alliance to push back against growing lawlessness, disinformation, and power‑based politics.Speaking at the session Who Brokers Trust Now? at the World Economic Forum, Annalena Baerbock warned that multilateral institutions – long seen as the brokers of global trust – are under unprecedented strain as conflicts multiply and respect for international law erodes.“Who brokers trust?” she asked. “In ordinary times, there would be a simple answer: multilateral institutions like the United Nations.” But, she added, these are “not ordinary times”.Ms. Baerbock said the world is facing more conflicts than at any point in recent history. Since the start of 2026, she said, divisions have deepened further, leaving some Member States hesitant to act when circumstances demand principled conviction.“Voices that were once outspoken in their support for all the three pillars of the United Nations Charter – peace and security, sustainable development, and human rights – fall more and more silent in the face of their erosion,” she said.“The UN is not only under pressure but under outright attack.”Facts and truths not up for negotiationMs. Baerbock stressed that trust cannot exist without truth and shared facts – foundations she said are increasingly undermined by deliberate disinformation.“Without facts, you can’t have truth. Without truth, you can’t have trust,” she said, quoting Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa.She cautioned that falsehoods are rarely accidental, but are often deployed to “weaponize mis- and disinformation”, while diplomatic silence in the face of obvious falsehoods only deepens mistrust.“We do not negotiate truths and facts,” Ms. Baerbock said. “We use them to negotiate, to broker trust.”She highlighted the risks posed by artificial intelligence, noting that while AI offers enormous benefits, it is also being used to blur the line between truth and lies. Deepfakes, she said, are “systematically attacking women”, citing figures showing that the overwhelming majority of such content is pornographic and targets women.UN Charter – ‘world’s life insurance’Ms. Baerbock also highlighted that trust is impossible without common rules, arguing that respect for international law is not naïve idealism but a matter of enlightened self-interest.“Trust is built on rules,” she said, likening the global system to competitive sports or markets where predictability and fairness are essential. “Why would you put your money into a business if the competition rules are totally unpredictable?”Recalling the founding of the United Nations 80 years ago, she said leaders at the time chose cooperation after witnessing the catastrophic consequences of a lawless international order.The UN Charter, she added, remains “the world’s common life insurance”, just as a rules-based economic order underpins global business and investment.A call for broad allianceThe General Assembly President concluded by calling for a broad alliance – spanning governments, businesses and regions – to stand up for the international order and defend shared principles, even when it is politically or economically costly.“Trust is brokered by those who hold up the common rules and principles, even when it is hard,” she said. “By those who act when action is required…and by those who speak the truth, when silence or distortion would be easier.”The challenge now, Ms. Baerbock emphasised, is whether today’s leaders can act with the same courage and conviction as those who built the post-war international system.“The founders of the United Nations understood that because they had seen what the alternative would mean, in a world where might makes right, there can be only one outcome: chaos and war.”Source: UN news

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17 January 2026

Secretary-General on UN at 80: Humanity strongest when we stand as one

Powerful forces are lining up to undermine global cooperation, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warned at a landmark event in London on Saturday to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the General Assembly, but he urged that “humanity is strongest when we stand as one”.Speaking at Methodist Central Hall, the very same venue where the first-ever UN General Assembly was held on 10 January 1946, Mr. Guterres called on delegates at the event to be “bold enough to change. Bold enough to find the courage of those who came to this Hall 80 years ago to forge a better world.” From bomb shelter to diplomatic gathering Organised by the United Nations Association-UK, Saturday's anniversary event gathered over 1,000 delegates from across the world, with speakers including President of the General Assembly, Annalena Baerbock, the UN Champion for Space Professor Brian Cox and the UN Refugee Agency’s Goodwill Ambassador Maya Ghazal. The event also marks the 80th anniversary of the first UN Security Council, which took place on 17 January 1946 at nearby Church House. During his keynote address, Mr. Guterres reflected on the symbolic location of the commemoration. The first General Assembly took place within the same walls four months after the end of the Second World War, in a heavily bombed London where tens of thousands had been killed, a powerful reminder as to why the UN had been created. “To reach this Hall, delegates had to pass through a city scarred by war. Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, and the House of Commons had been shelled by the Luftwaffe. And as those bombs fell, terrified civilians huddled here, in the basement of the Methodist Central Hall — one of the largest public air-raid shelters in London,” said the Secretary-General. Throughout the Blitz, as many as 2,000 people gathered in the hall for protection, before the nations of the world assembled there in 1946 to ‘save succeeding generations from the scourge of war’. “In many ways, this Hall is a physical representation of what the United Nations is: a place people put their faith — for peace, for security, for a better life,” reflected Mr. Guterres. The world of 2026 is not the world of 1946 In the 80 years since the first General Assembly, the UN has expanded from 51 members to 193. Mr. Guterres emphasised that the General Assembly, the UN’s chief deliberative, policymaking and representative body, is “the parliament of the family of nations. It is a forum for every voice to be heard, a crucible for consensus, and a beacon for cooperation.”Whilst he acknowledged that the General Assembly’s work “may not always be straightforward or seamless,” he described it as a “a mirror of our world, its divisions and its hopes. And it is the stage on which our shared story plays out.”Reflecting on the last decade, Mr. Guterres spoke of how “the conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan have been vicious and cruel beyond measure; artificial intelligence has become ubiquitous almost overnight; and the pandemic poured accelerant on the fires of nationalism — stalling progress on development and climate action.”Mr. Guterres emphasised how 2025 was a “profoundly challenging” year for international cooperation and the UN’s values.“Aid was slashed. Inequalities widened. Climate chaos accelerated. International law was trampled. Crackdowns on civil society intensified. Journalists were killed with impunity. And United Nations staff were repeatedly threatened — or killed — in the line of duty.”The UN reported in 2025 that global military spending reached $2.7 trillion — over 200 times the UK’s current aid budget, or equivalent to over 70 per cent of Britain’s entire economy.Fossil fuel profits have also continued to surge whilst the planet broke heat records, Mr. Guterres underlined.“And in cyberspace, algorithms rewarded falsehoods, fuelled hatred, and provided authoritarians with powerful tools of control.” Multilateralism over divisionA “robust, responsive and well-resourced multilateral” system is needed to address the world’s interconnected challenges, Mr. Guterres urged, but the “values of multilateralism are being chipped away.”The Secretary-General gave the example of a landmark international agreement to protect marine life in international waters and the seabed, which comes into force on Saturday, as a “model of modern diplomacy, led by science, with the participation not just of governments, but of civil society, Indigenous Peoples and local communities.”“These quiet victories of international cooperation — the wars prevented, the famine averted, the vital treaties secured — do not always make the headlines. Yet they are real. And they matter. If we wish to secure more such victories, we must ensure the full respect of international law and defend multilateralism, strengthening it for our times.”As he addressed the London audience, the Secretary-General expressed his “gratitude to the United Kingdom for its decisive role in creating the United Nations,” and for being “such a strong pillar of multilateralism and champion of the United Nations today.”High stakes for a better world Looking towards the future, the Secretary-General called for an international system that reflects the modern world, including reforming international financial systems and the Security Council.“As global centres of power shift, we have the potential to build a future that is either more fair — or more unstable.”The Secretary-General reminded delegates in London that when the UN first opened its doors, “many of its staff bore the visible wounds of war — a limp, a scar, a burn.”“There is a persistent myth — now echoing louder each day — that peace is naïve. That the only ‘real’ politics is the politics of self-interest and force,” Mr. Guterres said. “But the founders of the United Nations were not untouched by reality. On the contrary, they had seen war, and they knew: Peace, justice and equality, are the most courageous, the most practical, the most necessary pursuits of all.” Source: UN news

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16 January 2026

UN Secretary-General calls for just peace in Ukraine and support for refugees and displaced people

He outlined urgent global challenges and laid out a broad vision for peace, reform and cooperation in 2026. “We must adhere to the UN Charter – fully and faithfully. No ifs … no ands … no buts. The Charter is a compact which binds us all. It is not an à la carte menu, it is prix fixe,” he underlined.He reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to peace efforts in Ukraine, mentioning that no effort should be spared to stop fighting, protect civilians and continue delivering humanitarian aid to the ones who need it the most. A year for solidarity The Secretary-General reiterated that sustainable peace requires addressing root causes of conflicts, from inequality and human rights violations to climate change, which he called a threat multiplier. He noted that humanitarian crises and cycles of violence continue to persist, trapping millions of families in cold, hunger and displacement, but it’s not a time for giving up. While long-term peace depends on sustainable development and the protection of human rights for all, it’s time for the states to make the first step and choose unity over division, humanity over violence and peace over hostilities. Call to actionIn closing, the Secretary-General appealed to Member States to act with urgency and solidarity. “The forces of division and inequality are powerful, but so too is our capacity for solidarity and justice,” he said, noting that the UN Charter provides a compass, and peace with justice offers purpose and direction.Full speech can be found here.

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Press Release

29 January 2026

Choose peace over chaos, Guterres urges as he sets out final-year priorities

2026 “is already shaping up to be a year of constant surprises and chaos,” he told journalists in New York.Mr. Guterres – who trained as a physicist before entering public life – said that during times of profound flux, he returns to fixed principles that explain how forces act.Generating ‘positive reactions’Among them is Newton’s Third Law of Motion which states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.“As we begin this year, we are determined to choose actions that generate concrete and positive reactions,” he said.“Reactions of peace, of justice, of responsibility, and of progress in our troubled times.”Chain reactionToday, impunity is driving conflicts – fueling escalation, widening mistrust, and allowing powerful spoilers to enter from every direction.“Meanwhile, the slashing of humanitarian aid is generating its own chain reactions of despair, displacement, and death,” as inequalities deepen.He highlighted climate change – “the most literal and devastating illustration of Newton’s principle” – as actions that heat the planet trigger storms, wildfires, hurricanes, drought and rising seas. Power shiftThe world is also witnessing “perhaps the greatest transfer of power of our times”, namely from governments to private tech companies.“When technologies that shape behaviour, elections, markets, and even conflicts operate without guardrails, the reaction is not innovation, it is instability,” he warned.Hegemony is not the answerThese challenges are happening as systems for global problem-solving continue to reflect economic and power structures of 80 years ago and this must change.“Our structures and institutions must reflect the complexity – and the opportunity – of these new times and realities,” he said.“Global problems will not be solved by one power calling the shots. Nor will they be solved by two powers carving the world into rival spheres of influence.”He stressed the importance of accelerating multipolarity – “one that is networked, inclusive by design, and capable of creating balance through partnerships” – but it alone does not guarantee stability or peace.“For multipolarity to generate equilibrium, prosperity and peace, we need strong multilateral institutions where legitimacy is rooted in shared responsibility and shared values,” he said.Shared valuesAdditionally, in the pursuit of reform, “structures may be out of date – but values are not,” he said.In this regard, the people who wrote the UN Charter “understood that the values enshrined in our founding documents were not lofty abstractions or idealistic hopes” but “the sine qua non of lasting peace and enduring justice.”He said that “despite all the hurdles, the United Nations is acting to give life to our shared values” and will not give up.Peace, reform and development“We are pushing for peace – just and sustainable peace rooted in international law. Peace that addresses root causes. Peace that endures beyond the signing of an agreement.”The UN is also pressing to reform and strengthen the Security Council – “the one and only body with the Charter-mandated authority to act on peace and security on behalf of every country.”Stating that there is no lasting peace without development, he highlighted action to speed up progress to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and reform the global financial architecture,“That includes ending the crushing cycle of debt, tripling the lending capacity of multilateral development banks, and ensuring developing countries just participation and real influence in global financial institutions,” he said.Climate supportOn climate action, he stressed the need for deep emissions cuts this decade along with a just and equitable transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources.“We are demanding far greater support for countries already confronting climate catastrophe, expanded early warning systems, opportunities for nations rich in critical minerals to climb global value chains,” he said.The UN is also working urgently towards a framework for technology governance, including through global dialogue, capacity support for developing countries and the new International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence (AI).The names of 40 proposed panel members will be submitted to the General Assembly soon.AI for the developing worldMr. Guterres has also called for the creation of a Global Fund on AI Capacity Development for developing countries, with a target of $3 billion.“As we begin this year, we are determined to choose actions that generate concrete and positive reactions,” he said.“Reactions of peace, of justice, of responsibility, and of progress in our troubled times.”Source: UN news

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Press Release

20 January 2026

Türk says outraged by continued Russian attacks on energy infrastructure

“This, as the people of Ukraine are gripped by extreme cold, with temperatures below minus 10 degrees Celsius at night,” the High Commissioner said.“Civilians are bearing the brunt of these attacks. They can only be described as cruel. They must stop. Targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure is a clear breach of the rules of warfare.”Last night’s attacks with long-range weapons caused emergency power and heating outages in several regions. In Kyiv City, the mayor has reported that 5,635 multi-storey residential buildings were left without heating this morning, nearly 80 per cent of which had only recently had heating restored after outages caused by a similar attack on 9 January.“This means that hundreds of thousands of families are now without heating and several areas, including a significant part of Kyiv, are also without water,” he said. “This affects in particular the most vulnerable, including children, older people and those with disabilities.”The Russian Federation has persisted in launching these large-scale strikes despite extensive and well-documented public information regarding their severe impact on the civilian population, Türk said.Since October last year, the Russian armed forces have renewed systematic large-scale attacks against Ukraine's energy infrastructure, with strikes recorded in at least 20 regions of the country.Following on similar strikes in 2024, these attacks have degraded Ukraine's energy system as a whole, which has resulted in rolling power outages across most regions of Ukraine, routinely lasting up to 18 hours per day over recent months.“I call on the Russian authorities to immediately cease these attacks,” Türk said. “It is appalling to see civilians suffering in this way.”

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Press Release

15 January 2026

‘Land: Bearer of Memory’ installation, dedicated to humanitarian demining, opens in Kyiv

Ten transparent cylinders filled with soil collected from 10 regions affected by hostilities create a space where the land “speaks” through the voices of people whose lives have been changed by the war. Each cylinder contains a separate audio story — of deminers who neutralize explosive hazards every day, of farmers who are bringing devastated fields back to life, and of children who are once again finding their way home. The soil becomes a symbol of resilience, recovery, and human memory.The audio installation is located on the second floor of the Ivan Franko Theatre (3, Ivan Franko Square). It can be visited with a valid ticket to any theatre performance until 8 February 2026.The initiative aims to raise public awareness of humanitarian demining as one of Ukraine’s key national priorities.“Demining is not just about clearing land of explosive hazards — it is a transformation. It is a critical first step towards recovery. However, effective and sustainable results require a comprehensive approach,” said Auke Lootsma, UNDP Resident Representative in Ukraine.“The scale of this challenge is historic: the cost of demining Ukraine is estimated at US$35 billion. That is why we are scaling up innovation — from the use of artificial intelligence and drones to satellite imagery — to make clearance faster, safer, and more effective. Together with our partners, we are proud to support the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine in this vital mission.”“Over the past year, we have made approximately 12,000 hectares of agricultural land safe. These figures represent the future — Ukraine’s development, and the recovery of agricultural production, job creation, and tax revenues. Produce grown on cleared land matters not only for previously contaminated regions, but for the entire country,” said Ihor Bezkaravainyi, Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine. “Tomatoes from Kherson are used to cook borshch in Volyn or Lviv regions; bread made from grain grown in Mykolaiv or Kharkiv is baked in Vinnytsia or Bukovyna; and grain is exported to many countries in the Middle East and Africa. These are already global challenges.”.The installation at the Ivan Franko Theatre continues the conversation about land as a value, a challenge, and a shared responsibility. These themes are also central to the play “Land”, a stage adaptation of the novella by Olha Kobylianska, directed by David Petrosian.“Since time immemorial, land has been one of the most important symbols of life, existence, relationships, and dreams for Ukrainians — because everything was connected to it,” said Yevhen Nyshchuk, Director General and Artistic Director of the Ivan Franko National Theatre. “This is vividly reflected in our drama, literature, and poetry, much of which comes to life on the stage of our theatre. We are currently staging Land, based on the work of Olha Kobylianska, directed by Davit Petrosian. In almost every story told on our stage, the question of what land means to a particular family is present.”“Each evening, around 800 people will be able to see the installation during the performance. They will interact with it and reflect on the meanings of what is good and what is evil.”Background:According to official data, more than 130,000 square kilometres of land in Ukraine have been affected by hostilities and are therefore potentially contaminated by mines and other explosive remnants of war. Approximately 42,000 square kilometres have already been cleared and returned to use.For more information about the initiative and the audio stories, visit landofmemory.com.ua.Media enquiries: Yuliia Samus, Head of Communications and Advocacy, UNDP in Ukraine
yuliia.samus@undp.org

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Press Release

14 January 2026

Ukraine adopts law on the Fundamental Principles of Housing Policy, developed with UNECE support

The law, which was developed with support from UNECE under the UN4UkrainianCities initiative, is the first systemic legislative act on housing since Ukraine's independence, which not only abolishes outdated norms but also paves the way for a profound transformation of the housing sector in line with current challenges and Ukraine’s international commitments. The Law was adopted by the Verkhovna Rada on January 13, 2026. The law defines the legal, economic, social, and organizational foundations of the state housing policy with the aim of ensuring the realization of every person’s right to housing and the efficient use of Ukraine’s housing stock. UNECE Executive Secretary Tatiana Molcean stated: “As Ukraine continues to endure attacks on its housing and infrastructure, I commend the adoption of its Law on the Fundamental Principles of Housing Policy, which is a powerful signal to society, communities, investors and international partners of its commitment to housing reform. UNECE is proud to have assisted the government throughout this process and looks forward to supporting implementation moving forward.” The law repeals the Housing Code of 1983, which no longer corresponds to the realities of modern Ukraine, and finalizes the over-30-year process of privatizing the state housing stock. At the core of the new policy is the introduction of modern housing provision instruments: social and affordable housing, as well as financial and credit mechanisms such as mortgages and leasing. Particular attention is given to digitalization in the sector: the law foresees the creation of a Unified Information and Analytical Housing System, which will automate needs assessments, improve planning, and ensure transparency and control over resource use. It also establishes the foundations for rental market regulation and encourages public-private partnerships in the housing sector. The reform aims to improve living conditions for millions of citizens, including internally displaced persons, through the creation of affordable housing solutions and the introduction of support mechanisms for various social groups. Among the principles of the law are accessibility and barrier-free design, supporting a disability-inclusive approach to housing. The law also provides for comprehensive renovation of outdated housing stock while ensuring the rights of owners and improving housing quality and energy efficiency. The new law is based on leading international approaches — particularly the Geneva UN Charter on Sustainable Housing, which emphasizes the importance of accessible, safe, and well-maintained housing as a cornerstone of social well-being. It also aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals for 2030, addressing poverty reduction, improved well-being, environmental sustainability, and the development of inclusive and safe urban environments. The adoption of this law is an important step towards harmonising Ukrainian legislation with European standards within the framework of Ukraine's integration into the European Union. This law is also part of the implementation of the Ukraine Facility Plan, within which housing reform is identified as one of the key directions. Experts from the UN4UkrainianCities project were involved in the development of the Law from the initial stage. They contributed to shaping its concept, structure, and key principles, providing support throughout the process — from initial drafting to the final reading in the Verkhovna Rada. The team continues its expert participation in the next stage of the reform — the development of the State Housing Policy Strategy, which will define strategic priorities for the coming years. An Interagency Working Group has been established to prepare this document, with support from UN4UkrainianCities experts. In addition, the project's experts are involved in the development of two other important draft laws: "On Social Housing" and "On Housing Stock Management", which are expected to be submitted to the Verkhovna Rada later this year.

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