Mr Chairperson,

As this is our first discussion on Russia’s war of aggression after the summer recess, allow me to begin by expressing our gratitude to the Swiss Chairpersonship for convening the special Permanent Council meeting on 24 August.

Regrettably, since that meeting, the situation on the ground has remained grave. Unable to achieve its objectives on the battlefield, Russia has continued its campaign against Ukraine’s civilian population and infrastructure.

In the past week alone, Russia carried out a sustained campaign of deliberate strikes across Ukraine, repeatedly targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure.

The choice of targets and the manner in which these strikes are conducted cannot be explained by military considerations. They are designed to inflict maximum destruction, cause civilian casualties, and spread fear.

From the large-scale strike on Kyiv on the night of 8 September, which claimed the lives of five people and injured 29 others, to the most recent massive strike on civilian infrastructure in Odesa, which killed two people and injured more than 30, these attacks demonstrate the continued disregard of the Kremlin for civilian life.

Just last night, Russian forces carried out a large-scale attack on Kyiv and other cities across Ukraine. In the capital alone, 18 people, including two children, were among the victims. The strike damaged residential buildings, educational facilities, offices, petrol stations, and railway facilities.

In recent weeks, air alerts have become almost continuous in many Ukrainian cities. Russia is permanently adapting its tactics to maintain pressure on civilians, with particular focus on transport infrastructure - petrol stations, bus stops, railway stations and passenger trains.

One such strike took place on 13 September near the border with Poland. We cannot exclude the possibility that a train carrying foreign politicians and security advisers, which had departed earlier than scheduled, may have been the intended targets. As Foreign Minister Sybiha stated following the attack: “This is Putin’s terror ‘knocking’ directly on the doors of the EU and NATO”.

Excellencies,

September also marks the beginning of a new school year. Yet for children across Ukraine, the sound of an air-raid siren has once again become part of the school day, replacing the school bell.

The consequences of this war for children are devastating — and they continue to grow. Repeated strikes and prolonged air alerts disrupt education and, most tragically, continue to cost children and young people their lives.

According to estimates by the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, at least 740 children have been killed and almost 2,900 wounded.

The impact on education is equally severe. According to the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights, Dmytro Lubinets, as of 1 September, Russian attacks had damaged 4,650 educational facilities across Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, 423 of them completely.

At the same time, Russia continues to adapt its tactics to keep civilians under constant pressure. Alongside large-scale overnight strikes, it is increasingly launching smaller groups of drones during the day. These attacks disrupt daily life, force people to remain constantly alert, and create a permanent sense of insecurity, including ahead of larger strikes.

This is not simply a series of isolated incidents. It is a sustained campaign that exhausts Ukraine’s civilian population and makes everyday life increasingly difficult and dangerous.

Mr Chairperson,

The horrors of this war can lead to only one conclusion: the bloodshed must end. Peace must be restored, and it must be based on international law, including the UN Charter and the Helsinki Final Act.

Ukraine has consistently advocated for such a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace. And let me reaffirm once again: Ukraine is ready to negotiate with Russia. We are ready for a leaders’ meeting at a neutral venue, and we believe this can take place before winter.

We welcome the continued engagement of the United States and our European partners. The recent discussions in Kyiv with President Trump’s envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, as well as consultations with our European allies, demonstrate the importance of sustained diplomatic efforts.

We should now build on this momentum and take concrete steps towards peace: unblocking the Black Sea, establishing an energy truce, and advancing the exchange of prisoners of war.

Ukraine is ready for diplomacy. We remain committed to peace. But peace must be achieved in accordance with international law and with full respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Thank you, Mr Chairperson.