United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterras said during a speech Monday that he fears the increasing escalation of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine may lead to a much larger war.
“The Russian invasion of Ukraine is inflicting untold suffering on the Ukrainian people, with profound global implications,” Guterras said to the General Assembly on Priorities. “The chances of further escalation and bloodshed keep growing. I fear the world is not sleepwalking into a wider war. I fear it is doing so with its eyes wide open.” (RELATED: Russia, China Leaders Total No-Shows At UN Climate Conference)
The secretary’s speech also referenced the symbolic Doomsday Clock, which inched closer to midnight (apocalypse) in late January.
Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres, warned nations that he fears the likelihood of further escalation in the Russia-Ukraine conflict means the world is heading towards a “wider war.” pic.twitter.com/uOidXGEvX2
— Yasmina (@yasminalombaert) February 6, 2023
“The Doomsday Clock is now 90 seconds to midnight, which means 90 seconds to total global catastrophe,” Guterras said. “This is the closest the clock has ever stood to humanity’s darkest hour – and closer than even during the height of the Cold War.”
The Doomsday Clock represents society’s symbolic proximity to a cataclysmic event of our own making, according to the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists.
Secretary-General Guterras painted a mostly grim picture of the state of the world in his speech, touching on issues such as climate change and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He advocated for a “holistic view” of a peaceful world that “identifies root causes and prevents the seeds of war from sprouting.”
“We have started 2023 staring down the barrel of a confluence of challenges unlike any other in our lifetimes,” he said. “Wars grind on. The climate crisis burns on. Extreme wealth and extreme poverty rage on. Epic geopolitical divisions are undermining global solidarity and trust.”
“My message today comes down to this: Don’t focus solely on what may happen to you today – and dither. Look at what will happen to all of us tomorrow – and act,” Guterras added.