US: Russia Escalates Ukraine War       01/13 06:23

   The United States accused Russia on Monday of a "dangerous and inexplicable 
escalation" of its nearly four-year war in Ukraine at a time when the Trump 
administration is trying to advance negotiations toward peace.

   UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- The United States accused Russia on Monday of a 
"dangerous and inexplicable escalation" of its nearly four-year war in Ukraine 
at a time when the Trump administration is trying to advance negotiations 
toward peace.

   U.S. deputy ambassador to the United Nations Tammy Bruce singled out 
Russia's launch of a nuclear-capable Oreshnik ballistic missile last week close 
to Ukraine's border with Poland, a NATO ally.

   She told an emergency meeting of the Security Council that the United States 
deplores "the staggering number of casualties" in the conflict and condemns 
Russia's intensifying attacks on energy and other infrastructure.

   Ukraine called for the meeting after last Thursday's overnight Russian 
bombardment with hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles, including the 
powerful, new hypersonic Oreshnik missile, which Moscow used for only the 
second time in what was a clear warning to Kyiv's NATO allies.

   The large-scale attack came days after Ukraine and its allies reported major 
progress toward agreeing on how to defend the country from further Moscow 
aggression if a U.S.-led peace deal is struck.

   The attack also coincided with a new chill in relations between Moscow and 
Washington after Russia condemned the U.S. seizure of an oil tanker in the 
North Atlantic. And it came as U.S. President Donald Trump signaled he is on 
board with a hard-hitting sanctions package meant to economically cripple 
Russia.

   Moscow has given no public signal it is willing to budge from its maximalist 
demands on Ukraine. And Russia's U.N. ambassador on Monday blamed the 
diplomatic impasse on Ukraine.

   Europe's leaders condemned the attack using the Oreshnik as "escalatory and 
unacceptable," and U.S. envoy Bruce was equally tough on Monday.

   "At a moment of tremendous potential, due only to President Trump's 
unparalleled commitment to peace around the world, both sides should be seeking 
ways to de-escalate," she said. "Yet Russia's action risks expanding and 
intensifying the war."

   Bruce reminded Russia that nearly a year ago it voted in favor of a Security 
Council resolution calling for an end to the conflict in Ukraine.

   "It would be nice if Russia matched their words with deeds," she said. "In 
the spirit of that resolution, Russia, Ukraine and Europe must pursue peace 
seriously and bring this nightmare to an end."

   But Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told the Security Council that 
until Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy "comes to his senses and agrees 
to realistic conditions for negotiations, we will continue solving the problem 
by military means."

   "He was warned long ago, with each passing day, each day which he squanders, 
the conditions for negotiations will only get worse for him," Nebenzia said. 
"Similarly, each vile attack on Russian civilians will elicit a stiff response."

   Ukraine's U.N. Ambassador Andriy Melnyk countered that Russia is more 
vulnerable now than at any time since the start of the full-scale invasion in 
February 2022. Its economy is slowing and oil revenue is down.

   "Russia wants to sell to this council and the whole U.N. family the 
impression that it is invincible, but this is another illusion," he told the 
council. "The carefully staged image of strength is nothing but smoke and 
mirrors, completely detached from reality."