UNITED NATIONS, September 24 — Fifty countries plus the European Union jointly called on Russia to agree to a ceasefire in its war against Ukraine, according to multiple reports, issuing the appeal as world leaders gathered for the UN General Assembly’s General Debate. The joint statement was backed by 51 countries in total, including Ukraine and EU member states, as well as Georgia. Its message, as reported by the outlets covering the text: “Ukraine wants peace.
We want peace.” The statement also called for a Black Sea initiative, according to the Kyiv Independent. The United States did not support the statement.
That decision was noted by several outlets, including Ukrainska Pravda and Nasha Niva, and it highlights divisions among Ukraine’s allies at a moment when the EU and its partners are pressing for a coordinated line on ending the war. Russia dismissed the call, according to reports. Nasha Niva reported that Moscow shrugged off the appeal.
A separate EU statement on the Duma elections
Alongside the joint ceasefire appeal, the EU’s High Representative issued a separate statement on behalf of the EU regarding Russian State Duma elections held on 18–20 September 2026. According to that statement, the elections are not applicable on Ukrainian territory — a reiteration of the EU’s position that Russian balloting on Ukrainian land carries no legal weight.
The two statements, issued in the same diplomatic window, show the EU working both tracks at once: pressing for a halt to the fighting while refusing to recognise Russian electoral claims over Ukrainian territory.
Strikes continue as the appeal is made
The ceasefire call came as Russia continued strikes on Ukraine. The latest attacks left 2 dead and 40 injured, according to the Kyiv Post — figures that underscore the urgency the statement’s backers attached to their appeal. The UN General Assembly 2026 General Debate was dominated by global crises, according to Anadolu Ajansı, with the war in Ukraine among the issues at the centre of the agenda.
The joint statement was reported by multiple outlets, including the Kyiv Independent, LIGA.net, Kyiv Post, UNITED24 Media and EU Neighbours East. What to watch next is whether the 51-country bloc can hold its line — and whether Washington’s absence from the statement signals a durable split among Ukraine’s partners or a single decision that can be reversed as the General Debate continues.
