The U.S. called for Russian, Turkish, and UAE forces (and their proxies) to immediately withdraw from Libya, after those countries ignored the January 23, 2021 deadline for foreign forces and mercenaries to leave the country (as set by a UN-backed ceasefire signed in October 2019 to end the war among the countries' factions and their foreign supporters). Richard M. Mills Jr., the Acting U.S. Ambassador to the UN, said, "We call on all external parties, to include Russia, Turkey and the UAE, to respect Libyan sovereignty and immediately cease all military intervention in Libya."