New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has met with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal in New York today.
The bilateral was held under tight embargo with concerns for Ukraine’s safety as the war with Russia rages on.
The pair discussed recent events in the war, and Ardern expressed NZ's ongoing support for Ukraine, as well as strongly condemning Russia's illegal war and Putin's recent escalation.
Russian President Vladimir Putin last night mobilised 300,000 reservists, a renewed push of aggression as the conflict drags on.
His announcement, and that he was prepared to escalate the type of force being used, has raised concerns that the Kremlin will resort to the use of nuclear weapons.
Shmyhal thanked Ardern for New Zealand's swift and ongoing support.
The pair also talked about post-conflict reconstruction and holding Russia to account via legal institutions.
The meeting lasted 30 minutes.
READ MORE: Ardern condemns Russian invasion, calls for world to rally
Speaking to NZ media, Ardern slammed Putin's "falsehoods" around the invasion.
"New Zealand has always stood firmly against this illegal invasion but we stand firmly against the escalation of this invasion," Ardern said.
"To claim that they will use and could use any other additional weapons that are available to them flies in the face of the lie they have told that they are there to liberate others, and yet they would use the threat of such weapons against them?
Addressing the United Nations general assembly today, US President Joe Biden called Russia’s invasion of its neighbour an attempt at “extinguishing Ukraine’s right to exist.”
On the threat of escalation, he added:
“A nuclear war cannot be won, and must never be fought.”
The United States has called for reconsideration of the use of veto votes on the Security Council, of which it is a member.
Russia's continued veto of motions condemning its invasion of Ukraine led to global condemnation that the United Nations had failed in its mandate.
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