The World Health Organization decried attacks on health facilities in Ukraine, but did not name Russia or Putin.
The WHO officials called out Russia once during the hour-long presentation. The head of WHO's emergencies programs asked Russia to rethink its position after a reporter asked why the organization wasn't critical of the Kremlin.
Tedros told reporters at a press conference that the World Health Organization was concerned about the humanitarian emergency in Ukraine.
Tedros, along with other WHO experts, called for the rapid establishment of a humanitarian corridor to send critical health supplies to those in need. He said that the WHO confirmed one attack on a hospital and is working to verify others.
He said that attacks on health care are in violation of international humanitarian law.
His opening remarks did not mention Russia, the WHO member that launched the invasion of Ukraine.
The name of Russia is nowhere to be found in past WHO statements, as was noted by the first question from a CNN journalist stationed in western Ukraine.
CNN asked if we have reached a point where we are not able to call out a member state for these types of unforgiving actions.
Ryan, a leader of WHO's Covid response team, said there is no doubt that the military operations in Ukraine are causing untold suffering to the people.
He said that Tedros has always been on the side of peace.
He said that they try to honor the organization's commitment to standing besides those who are suffering and leave the politics of punishing the perpetrators to others who are better capable of doing that.
Ryan insisted that WHO has not been unclear about their advocacy against conflict.
He called on the parties and the government of Russia to reconsider its position in the light of the suffering that is being generated against Ukraine.
The WHO has come under fire before for taking too soft a stance. The U.S. criticized the organization for failing to take action as the coronaviruses spread out of China.
The global response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine has been unprecedented. The European Union and other international bodies have imposed sanctions on Russian institutions and officials.
Tedros said on Wednesday that he has not yet spoken to Putin or Zelenskyy, who was reported to be in a Ukrainian military base.
We haven't spoken to them yet. Tedros said that it was important to do that.
He noted at the start of the briefing that the WHO is going to deliver medical supplies for Ukraine, including 36 metric tons of trauma-care materials to 1,000 patients in Poland on Thursday.
There is an urgent need to establish a corridor to ensure that humanitarian workers and supplies have safe and continuous access to reach people in need.
Tedros said that the WHO has so far released $5.2 million from its emergency funds, but needs $45 million for Ukraine over the next three months.
Tedros said that they are deeply concerned about reports of attacks on health facilities and health workers. Several unconfirmed reports of attacks on health infrastructure, as well as one confirmed heavy weapons attack on a hospital last week, were cited.
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