Mr Chairperson,

As we approach the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the twelfth anniversary of its aggression against our country, the behaviour of the Kremlin is becoming increasingly reckless.

Since the last meeting of the Permanent Council, Russian troops have continued their relentless attacks against Ukraine, causing further devastating destruction and killing yet more innocent civilians. These actions once again reveal the true attitude of the Russian side towards a peaceful resolution and towards the very principle of humanism.

Perhaps the most illustrative example occurred on 23 January. On the very day when the Ukrainian, American and Russian delegations were meeting in Abu Dhabi to discuss peace efforts led by the United States, Russia carried out yet another brutal and massive missile strike against Ukraine.

As a result of this attack, in Kyiv, one person was killed and at least four others were injured. In Kharkiv, a maternity ward, a dormitory for internally displaced persons, and a hospital were damaged, resulting in civilian casualties. Chernihiv was left without electricity following the strikes.

As Minister Sybiha rightly underlined in his reaction, “his [Putin’s] missiles hit not only our people, but also the negotiation table.”

Already this week, another wave of strikes has been carried out. These include a night-time attack on the city of Odesa, which killed three people and injured twenty-five others, as well as a recent attack on a passenger train in the Kharkiv region, killing five people and wounding many more.

 

Esteemed colleagues,

The facts speak for themselves. Despite all efforts to achieve peace, the Russian Federation continues its massive campaign of terror against the civilian population of Ukraine. These acts are obvious, systematic, and well documented.

Against this backdrop, it is deeply cynical to hear the Kremlin’s attempts to whitewash its actions and shift responsibility for its crimes.

Fully in line with its well-known propaganda playbook, Moscow speaks in official statements about constructive and mutually respectful dialogue, while on the ground Russian troops continue to commit crime after crime.

Just last week, in this very room, the Russian delegation recalled its idea of so-called “strategic negotiations”, aimed at obtaining security guarantees for Russia, which was first presented in December 2021.

Absurd as it sounds, Russia demanded security guarantees for itself while continuing the occupation of sovereign territories of Ukraine and fuelling the armed conflict in Donbas.

At the very same time as the Kremlin claimed to be concerned about its own security, it was amassing forces along Ukraine’s borders, continuing the persecution of civilians in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, and openly interfering in the internal affairs of other states in an attempt to impose its will.

Let us be honest these actions were not the result of confusion or inconsistency. They were the manifestation of a cold-blooded strategy aimed at misleading the international community and gaslighting other states.

This strategy continues to be implemented, and it is precisely what we observe in this room every time the Russian delegation takes the floor. Demonstrating it full disregard for the basic principles of international law and responsible conduct of states, Russian continues its attempts to destroy the international order based on international law and the principles of responsible conduct, replacing it with the so-called “right of might”.

 

Mr Chairperson,

In recent months, intensive diplomatic efforts, initiated by the United States and supported by our allies and like-minded partners, have been under way to stop this barbaric war and to achieve a peace that is lasting and just.

Until such a peace is achieved, Ukraine remains determined to defend itself in line with Article 51 of the UN Charter. Neither Russia’s unrestricted terror to undermine the resistance Ukraine defence forces nor its attempts to twist the reality will succeed.

Ukraine expresses its sincere gratitude to all its partners who support it on this path by maintaining political and diplomatic pressure on the aggressor, providing defence assistance, and delivering humanitarian aid. Recent months marked unprecedented attempts by Russia to weaponise winter and terrorise civilians clearly demonstrated the international response to severe violations of international law remain strong.

And while the Russian Federation is relying on so-called “war fatigue”, the international community must clearly demonstrate that there can be no “fatigue” when it comes to a gross violation of international law—just as there can be no “fatigue” when it comes to tens of thousands of victims of unprovoked armed aggression.

This Organisation, and indeed the entire international order, rests on the principles of sovereign equality of states, their independence, and the inviolability of borders. Any attempt to deny these principles constitutes a clear violation of the Helsinki Final Act and can neither be accepted nor tolerated.

 

Thank you, Mr Chairperson.