S/PV.10004 Security Council

I would like to warmly welcome the Secretary-General, the presidents, prime ministers, ministers and other high-level representatives present in the Security Council Chamber. Their presence today underscores the importance of the subject matter under discussion. In accordance with rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representatives of Czechia, Estonia, Finland, Italy, Luxembourg, Slovakia, Spain and Ukraine to participate in this meeting. In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I also invite His Excellency Mr. António Costa, President of the European Council, to participate in this meeting. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. I now give the floor to the Secretary-General, His Excellency Mr. António Guterres.

In February, the Council marked three years since the Russian Federation launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a war that has brought immense suffering and instability to the region and beyond. On that occasion, the Council and the General Assembly adopted resolutions (resolution 2774 (2025) and General Assembly resolution ES-11/8) calling for its swift end and for a lasting peace. Since then, we have seen intense diplomatic engagement. But we have also seen an intensification of the fighting, across Ukraine and, at times, into the Russian Federation. Ukrainian civilians continue to endure relentless bombardment, in their homes, schools, hospitals and shelters. Critical civilian infrastructure is being destroyed with alarming regularity. The number of Russian missiles and drones striking Ukrainian cities and towns has reached record levels. As a result, the past months have seen some of the highest numbers of civilian casualties since the war began. Overall, more than 14,000 civilians, including hundreds of children, have been killed in Ukraine. More than 36,000 civilians have been injured. These are just the verified numbers. Civilians inside the Russian Federation are also increasingly being affected. Let me be clear: attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure are prohibited under international law. They must stop now. In Ukraine, access to water, electricity, healthcare and education has been severely disrupted. Massive strikes on energy infrastructure threaten to plunge millions into darkness and cold as they face a fourth winter at war. The threat to nuclear sites remains deeply concerning, particularly at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. All parties must uphold their responsibilities under international law to protect their safety and security. The United Nations remains fully mobilized to continue our life-saving aid to all those in need. I call on donors to scale up their contributions to the humanitarian response plan for those affected by the war, inside Ukraine and across the region. And I urge all parties to ensure safe, unimpeded humanitarian access to reach the most vulnerable wherever they are. As we mark the eightieth anniversary of the end of the Second World War, the latest incidents affecting neighbouring countries remind us of the real risk of further expansion of the conflict and the continuing threat it poses to European security. Recent high-level diplomatic efforts deserve recognition. I commend the dedication and political will demonstrated by the United States and others that are seeking to enable diplomatic solutions. I also welcome the direct talks between Ukrainian and Russian delegations in Istanbul, which have led to the return of hundreds of prisoners of war. They have also helped to open channels to address other urgent humanitarian concerns, including the fate of detained Ukrainian civilians and abducted children. But progress on a much-needed ceasefire and a lasting peaceful settlement remain painfully slow. Every day of continued fighting undermines the chances for diplomacy to succeed and increases the dangers of further escalation. (spoke in French) As the Council recalled early in the crisis, all Member States have undertaken, under the Charter, the obligation to settle their international disputes by peaceful means. We cannot afford to lose the current diplomatic momentum, no matter how fragile it is. The longer this war continues, the more devastating its consequences for everyone. I reiterate, therefore, my appeal for a full, comprehensive and sustainable ceasefire, a ceasefire that paves the way for a just, comprehensive and lasting peace, a peace that is in line with the United Nations Charter, international law and relevant United Nations resolutions. The United Nations is fully committed to supporting all meaningful efforts to end this war and to build a future of dignity, security and peace for all.

I thank the Secretary-General for his briefing. I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine. President Zelenskyy: To all the representatives of States and Governments present and to all those who still pay attention to the work of the United Nations, I say this: we must admit that the world’s attention to the United Nations is fading. The Organization has less influence, and, too often, there is a lack of real decisions on fundamental issues. This is exactly what we need to speak about today, the tools that, sadly, are not working now. But they will work, I am sure. They will work, if Council members are active, if we are active, because the main tool is in the hands of Council members. First of all, I thank the Republic of Korea for this meeting of the Security Council and for the opportunity to call for peace. Today, there will be a clear call for peace in the Council. And here is one of the main distortions of our time: whom must we call to peace and whom must we press to achieve it? One of the permanent members of the Council is doing everything to prolong the largest war in Europe since the Second World War. Russia does this with impunity, using its veto power, buying influence and keeping peace on hold. The Russian representative is here but, of course, not the one who makes the real decisions. That man fears to sit face to face with Ukraine and the world and openly admit that he wants only war. Instead, Putin sends delegates who cannot and do not want to stop the bloodshed. And when he appears abroad, in Beijing or somewhere else, it is only to buy more time for killing, pretending he seeks diplomacy. Putin only cares about using every meeting, every chance, to keep the war going. Each day, Russia kills our China is also represented here, a powerful nation on which Russia now depends completely. If China truly wanted this war to stop, it could compel Moscow to end the invasion. Without China, Putin’s Russia is nothing. Yet, too often, China stays silent and distant instead of active for peace. The United States of America is present here as well, a strong nation that supports our defence. We have said yes to every proposal from the United States President for a ceasefire and talks with Russia to bring about peace. But Russia always says no or tries to confuse everyone so that even a ceasefire cannot happen. I met with President Trump just now and we spoke about how to finally bring peace. We discussed a few good ideas, and I hope they will work. I am grateful for this meeting. And we expect America’s actions to push Russia toward peace. Moscow fears America and always pays attention to it. The United Kingdom, a permanent member of the Security Council, is here. France, also a permanent member, is here. Both nations support us and support our people and our independence, both promote diplomacy, and both are parties to a document that was supposed to be a positive milestone — for them and for the other permanent members of the Security Council — but instead became a warning to the world. The Budapest Memorandum, meant to guarantee Ukraine’s security in exchange for giving up nuclear weapons, failed. It proved that international promises can turn into blabbering. That is why today, with Britain, France and with already more than 30 nations in our coalition of the willing, we are building a new security architecture. We count on the United States of America as a backstop. Real security guarantees must become the line Russia cannot cross again. Here is one example of how strength can stop war: if we could strengthen our skies with a joint system to shoot down Russian missiles and drones, it would force Russia to stop its attacks from the sky, because everything could be shot down. And so Putin would be forced to sit here, or in another respectable venue, and look for a truce on the ground. If there is no war in the sky, Russia cannot keep fighting on the ground. I have talked about this with President Trump and with other leaders. Why do I say this here and now? Because the United States, China, Britain, France — the permanent members of the Security Council — represent the world’s essential power, the power that must act when international law alone cannot. And no, that does not include Russia. With this war, Russia has discredited itself. Even for those who do not yet criticize Putin openly, they still feel that Russia’s presence brings no good. Behind every international institution, there must be real strength to enforce decisions. This is true for the Security Council and for the United Nations as a whole. If members stand together to end this war, even Russia will have to obey. And if some act while others delay, the war will go on. Ukraine wants peace more than anyone in the world. The front is on our land. We mourn our people, and we try to save our cities and to save our small villages. Russia ignores its dead, blind to its own losses. But one day it will see, and it will hear. That will happen when it sees members’ actions, when it hears their united call for peace. That is my appeal to the Council today: be the force that acts. Act together, please. Unite at last to stop Russia’s war. We know how to guarantee security. What we need now is a strong push to force Russia towards peace.

I shall now make a statement in my capacity as Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea. More than three years have passed since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The drone incident along Poland’s eastern frontier two weeks ago is a reminder that the battlefield may no longer be confined to Ukraine, posing a threat to the peace and security of neighbouring States. This conflict has had grave consequences. Indiscriminate attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure continue, in clear violation of international humanitarian law. The humanitarian situation remains severe, with millions of Ukrainians displaced, communities disrupted and essential services under constant threat. These attacks must end. The Republic of Korea reaffirms its unwavering commitment to respect for internationally recognized borders and, in particular, to upholding the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine. We also once again call for the full, immediate and unconditional cessation of hostilities. This is essential to prevent further civilian casualties and to create the conditions for dialogue and negotiations. Peace, together with recovery and reconstruction, is essential to alleviating the suffering of Ukrainian civilians. Korea has supported Ukraine in areas such as energy, infrastructure, healthcare and education and will continue to consider further measures. Korea also acknowledges the initiatives of the international community, including the adoption of resolutions in February in both the General Assembly (General Assembly resolution ES-11/8) and the Security Council (resolution 2774 (2025)), which implore a swift end to the war. Taking note of the ongoing discussions among the United States, Russia, Ukraine and European partners, we hope these efforts will contribute to the realization of a peaceful settlement. We remain gravely concerned about military cooperation between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and Russia, including transfers of ballistic missiles and arms, as well as troop deployments. These actions constitute clear violations of the Charter of the United Nations and of relevant Security Council resolutions unanimously adopted by this body. Such cooperation undermines the global non-proliferation regime, prolongs the conflict in Ukraine and raises serious security concerns on the Korean Peninsula. The involvement of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea demonstrates that this war is not an issue for Europe alone. Its repercussions reach other regions, including North-East Asia, underscoring the fact that this conflict threatens international peace and security as a whole. We urge both Russia and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to immediately cease all activities that violate relevant Security Council resolutions. The Security Council carries the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. All members must uphold the credibility of this body by ensuring that violations of international law are not ignored. The international community cannot allow aggression to be legitimized or rewarded. Korea will continue to support international efforts aimed at achieving a just and sustainable peace in Ukraine. Such a peace must be based on the principles of the United Nations Charter, including respect for sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. Only a peace founded on these principles will ensure stability for Ukraine and reinforce the rules-based international order that benefits all Member States. We will remain actively engaged with partners in pursuit of this goal, for the sake of the people of Ukraine. I now resume my functions as President of the Council.

Allow me to take this opportunity to thank the Secretary- General for his words today and for his personal engagement on this matter over the past years. I sit here with other ministers and colleagues today, one year after I presided over Council meetings on the very same issues: the wars in Ukraine and Gaza (see S/PV.9731 and S/PV.9734). Reflecting on these two conflicts, I cannot ignore the many troubling similarities that they share. In both cases, there is aggression — by the Russian Federation in Ukraine and by Israel in Gaza — directed against significantly smaller countries. In both cases, international law is being openly and repeatedly violated. And I must ask: how many more times will we need to gather here before we put an end to these tragedies? The war in Ukraine has accompanied my entire tenure as Minister for Foreign and European Affairs. As such, I feel compelled to reflect more deeply on some of its aspects, because I fear that, over time, certain elements may have begun to fade from our memories. First, now well into its fourth year, this war continues to escalate. We are witnessing a record number of aerial attacks, far from the front lines, causing record numbers of civilian casualties across Ukraine. Secondly, the rationale behind this war keeps shifting. We have heard justifications ranging from the welfare of the Russian minority to Ukraine’s Euro- Atlantic aspirations, vague security concerns and accusations of nationalism within its Government. But let us remind ourselves: under the Charter of the United Nations, none of these reasons provides grounds for war, and none of them can justify aggression. This is not the first time that the Security Council has found itself paralysed, unable to take meaningful action. But that does not absolve us of our responsibility to protect civilians in armed conflict. Just as this applies to Ukraine, it applies equally to Gaza, to the Sudan and to any other region suffering the consequences of war. And as with any protracted conflict, we must continue to confront the facts. We must speak out where condemnation is warranted, because failing to do so is failing to acknowledge reality. And without that, meaningful steps forward are rendered impossible. We condemn the violations of international humanitarian law. We condemn the abductions and forcible transfers of children. We condemn attacks on critical civilian infrastructure. We condemn the fact that Russia keeps responding to Ukraine’s calls for peace and ceasefire with drone swarms and missile strikes. We condemn this war of territorial conquest that continues to erode the foundations of the United Nations Charter and the credibility of this Organization. Slovenia believes firmly in the urgent need for a ceasefire and the start of meaningful peace negotiations. These are objectives that we know the majority of the Council can support. Slovenia stands ready to work towards a just and lasting peace, one that is rooted in the principles of the United Nations Charter. Every nation has the right to shape its own future. Every person deserves to live in peace, dignity and freedom. My country will continue to aid the Ukrainian people until they achieve what they deserve.

I now call on His Excellency Mr. Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Denmark.

I thank the Republic of Korea for convening this meeting, and I thank the Secretary-General for his briefing. I warmly welcome the participation of President Zelenskyy and his important statement today. With no quick military victory, Russia’s leaders switched tactics to terrorize Ukraine into submission. Waves of drones, missiles and bombs hit civilians and civilian infrastructure, killing the elderly waiting for their pensions, children sleeping in their beds, mothers and babies in maternity wards and rescuers as they search for survivors in the rubble of homes. There have been daily shocking violations of international law and attacks on the civilian power grid to freeze families in winter. Drones have been used to hunt civilians. There have been sexual assaults and torture, and prisoners of war and other detained persons have been executed. Children have been deported. These acts have been declared war crimes and crimes against humanity by the United Nations, and arrest warrants have been issued for them by the International Criminal Court. And yet, the Kremlin would have us believe that it wants peace, that the aggressor is somehow the victim. But Russia’s actions speak louder. The 20 largest air attacks on Ukraine’s cities have all happened since May. July was the deadliest month for Ukrainian civilians in more than three years, with more than 1,600 civilians killed or injured. Since the Council adopted resolution 2774 (2025), Russia has shown no interest whatsoever in a first step on the path to peace. Russia’s leaders clearly mean to prolong and escalate the war. Russia’s repeated violations of European sovereign airspace with aircraft and drones underline Russia’s insistence on staying on a path of war. These reckless acts threaten the security of our citizens, regional stability and international peace. For peace to have any chance in Ukraine, the very first step must clearly be for the weapons to fall silent. Ukraine offered an unconditional ceasefire months ago, and we have all witnessed Russia’s response: escalation. Therefore, the international community needs to increase the pressure on the Kremlin through additional sanctions and measures against the shadow fleet. This is the only way that Russia might engage in the peace talks in good faith. We are also focused on the humanitarian needs and other needs in Ukraine. My own country, Denmark, recently launched the Ukraine transition programme to enhance Ukraine’s resilience and ability to meet its people’s urgent basic needs. With a new winter around the corner, Ukraine’s needs will increase. It is our duty to support them. I was in Kyiv 10 days ago to launch this programme, and I saw the determination of the Ukrainian people with my own eyes. They want to build a future and end this senseless war. We all pledged to uphold the Charter of the United Nations, to ensure that countries can live in peace within their borders. In the eightieth-anniversary year of the founding of the United Nations, any other outcome would be a tragedy. When Denmark was elected to the Security Council, we pledged to uphold international law, and we will continue to do so in all cases.

I now call on His Excellency Mr. Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France.

Eighty years ago, women and men from every continent signed a historic pact for global peace and security. It was 26 June 1945, in San Francisco. The United Nations was born, and in its Charter, In March 2023, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Vladimir Putin for the deportation of Ukrainian children to Russia. Russia has been condemned by the General Assembly in resolutions in March 2022 (General Assembly resolution ES‑11/1), February 2023 (General Assembly resolution ES- 11/6) and February 2025 (General Assembly resolution ES-11/7) — not to mention Assembly resolution 68/262 of March 2014. On nine occasions, the General Assembly has denounced the Russian invasion, called for a ceasefire, demanded that the territorial of Ukraine integrity be respected and called for a just and lasting peace in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations. Despite all these condemnations, Vladimir Putin persists, with brutality, lies and unrestrained violence. Thousands of Russian and Ukrainian lives have been sacrificed. To what end? To fulfil an imperialist fantasy; to satisfy a colonial impulse. But let us be clear: Russia is failing. As President Trump said today, it is a paper tiger. Less than 1 per cent of Ukrainian territory has been seized over the past 1,000 days of war. A civilian economy is suffocating under the weight of war and sanctions — sanctions that Vladimir Putin continues to impose on his own people. To mask these failures, the Kremlin escalates its violence and aggression. To conceal his failure, Vladimir Putin rains iron and fire upon cities behind the front lines: Bucha, Irpin, Mariupol, Dnipro, Kharkiv, Odesa, Chernihiv, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson — martyr cities, heroic cities. Each night, hundreds of drones and missiles strike homes, schools and hospitals. Russia spills civilian blood in flagrant violation of international humanitarian law. To hide his failure, Vladimir Putin doubles down on his provocations across all theatres and every domain of conflict: unacceptable incursions into the airspace of Poland, Romania and Estonia, hybrid attacks, electoral manipulation and disinformation campaigns targeting Europe’s democracies. It is a lost cause. Nothing will overcome the Ukrainian spirit of resistance. Nothing will weaken our support for Ukraine and for the principles of the Charter. And Russia is making a grave mistake if it still doubts the unity and resolve of NATO allies, and continues its dangerous escalation on Europe’s eastern flank. On 24 February, the Security Council adopted resolution 2774 (2025), introduced by the United States and supported by Russia, calling for a swift end to the conflict. This resolution must be fully implemented. We want peace. Ukraine wants peace. Ukraine is asking for only one thing: respect for its right to determine its own future and respect for the right of peoples to self-determination, enshrined in the Charter. This principle is non-negotiable. It applies in Kyiv as it does everywhere in the world. It is the very condition for the existence of a nation, and our responsibility, as members of the Security Council, is to uphold it. Russia is outside the law. Russia is failing. Ukraine wants peace and freedom. Around this table, it must not lack support.

I now call on Her Excellency Ms. Yvette Coooper, Member of Parliament and Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

I thank the Secretary-General for his briefing, and I thank President Zelenskyy and Minister Sybiha. The United Kingdom commends them for their leadership and determination. I also thank them for welcoming me to Kyiv two weeks ago, where I saw first-hand the impact of Russia’s brutal war, Russia’s illegal and unprovoked war of aggression is not just a test of Ukrainian resilience and security. It is an assault on the Charter of the United Nations and its most foundational principles — respect for sovereignty and for territorial integrity, principles on which we all depend every day and any threat against which we feel acutely. And it is an assault on the Charter by a member of the Security Council. President Zelenskyy has made it clear that he wants peace and wants this war to end, and that he and Ukraine have supported a full, unconditional ceasefire and reaffirmed his readiness to meet President Putin. Alongside European partners, the United States and President Trump are working to support the peace process, but Putin continues to choose war. He has rejected calls for a meaningful ceasefire. He has refused even to meet President Zelenskyy in a neutral venue. And Putin’s strategy includes the forced deportation, indoctrination and militarization of children. It includes intensified targeting of civilians and strikes on Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure on families as they sleep in their beds at night. Civilian casualties have risen nearly 40 per cent, with children killed in playgrounds, diplomatic premises and government buildings damaged, and hospitals and schools destroyed. And these are not accidents of war. They are the result of a cruel strategy targeting the people and communities of Ukraine. But anyone who knows Ukrainians knows that this will never succeed, because their determination to hold on to their freedom and to protect their families and their nation far exceeds Russia’s ability to take those things away. And indeed, what we have seen is Ukraine repeatedly undermining Russia’s military goals, so that despite the huge Russian mobilization attempt in the past three years, their overall impact on their military goals has been minimal. In this war that they started, their losses are now 20 times higher than were Soviet losses in Afghanistan. In this war that they are continuing to pursue, they are struggling to recruit. And in some areas, their stocks are so low that they have resorted to using military equipment from the 1950s. What is this for? Because as Ukraine stands firm against Russia, the United Kingdom stands firm with Ukraine. We know that Ukraine’s security is our security. And all of us depend on upholding the Charter of the United Nations. We know that Russia exports interference, disinformation and instability well beyond Ukraine — from cyberattacks in Moldova to the deployment of mercenaries in the Sahel. Russia’s actions seek to undermine democracies, fuel conflict and spread instability far beyond Europe’s borders. In recent weeks, we have seen provocative and reckless violations of NATO airspace — in Estonia, Poland and Romania — against which NATO stands firm. And we will be ready to act. The United Kingdom will continue to stand with Ukraine, providing the support it needs to defend itself now and to rebuild in the future as a strong prosperous nation free to make its own choices. So I say to the representative of the Russian Federation: we will target its ailing economy, its oil and gas revenues that are paying for this war, and the defence industries making its munitions and weapons, because we know that for Russia, the price of war is piling up and the sanctions are tightening the screws. Falling energy revenues are squeezing the State budget, and oil revenues are now at a five-year low. But we will go further; be in no doubt. To our Ukrainian friends, I say that they have the United Kingdom’s unwavering support now and for decades to come.

I now call on His Excellency, Mr. Ahmed Attaf, Minister of State and Minister for Foreign Affairs and National Community Abroad and African Affairs of Algeria.

We are meeting once again to recognize with great regret, pain and bitterness the ongoing war that is raging in Ukraine. That war is now entering its fourth year with no chance of a solution on the horizon, no possibility of putting a lasting end to its effects. My country had hopes for the good offices and diplomatic efforts undertaken this year to put an end to this war through dialogue and negotiation, which is the only way for the two warring parties to reach the desired goal. Today more than ever, we are convinced that these good offices and diplomatic efforts need to be relaunched. Indeed, we must redouble their impact in order to close the doors to escalation and wider regional conflict, with all the disturbing implications and disastrous consequences such a situation would have. The clear disparity between the positions of the two parties on a number of crucial points must not prevent us from working to bring together those differing points of view and narrow those differences so as to reach a common understanding that can revive hope for a better future for these two neighbouring countries, for the European continent and, ultimately, for the entire world. Algeria is among the countries that are firmly convinced that when we talk about the Russian-Ukrainian war, we are speaking about a conflict where all parties are suffering damage and loss, and no party is benefiting. All parties are losing; nobody is winning. Each party is experiencing significant negative repercussions that threaten Europe and the whole world. As a result of the war, both parties, Russia and Ukraine, have suffered immeasurable tragic losses in human lives and destroyed infrastructure, and have taken on huge economic, political and social burdens. Regionally, this war has led the whole European continent into its most serious crisis since the Second World War, not only in terms of security, politics and the economy, but also in cultural terms. The repercussions of this war have been felt globally, without exception. No one near or far is spared its effects, whether in terms of food and energy security, or its negative impact on international relations, where it has brought about polarization, deepening divides and even an acute crisis affecting the collective security system. For all these reasons and more, we become more convinced by the day that ending this war will serve not only the interests of the parties involved, but also what is seen as the general international interest. These overall considerations are what has motivated His Excellency Mr. Abdelmadjid Tebboune, President of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, to take the initiative of offering his good offices to mediate between Russia and Ukraine, given the historical friendship of Algeria with both parties to the conflict. We must all make earnest efforts to urgently end this conflict and open the way to a final resolution and lasting peace. We are firmly convinced that the momentum of good offices and diplomatic initiatives must prevail over conflict and military confrontation. We can all play our respective roles, each according to their ability, in contributing to laying the groundwork for a fair, lasting and final resolution of this crisis. That resolution can only be one that is political and peaceful in its approach, methodology and content. It must be a solution that will guarantee that the root

I now call on His Excellency Mr. Hugh Hilton Todd, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Guyana.

Please accept my commendations for the Republic of Korea’s efficient handling of the Council’s business this month. I would also like to thank the Secretary-General for his valuable perspectives. Today’s meeting comes at a time when the ongoing war is at a heightened risk of spreading, with violation after violation of the territorial integrity of neighbouring States. Guyana rejects the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any nation State. All nations must be free to determine their own destinies as free peoples, including through the projection and protection of their interests. We therefore join the international community in reaffirming the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and call for an immediate end to the conflict and the attendant violations of international law. We deeply regret that a peaceful solution is yet to be found and that the repeated calls for good-faith negotiations and the cessation of hostilities have not been heeded. Even as resolution 2774 (2025) remains unimplemented, we remain convinced that a peaceful solution is still possible and the only viable path forward. Peace, after all, can never be achieved through force, nor by one side imposing its will upon the other. Genuine and lasting peace requires strong political will, good-faith dialogue and a firm commitment by all involved to sustaining those efforts. As the search for a solution continues, we, the members of the Security Council, must be concerned about the repeated and persistent violations of international law that are taking place  — violations that have placed civilians in Ukraine and Russia squarely at the mercy of combatants. The protections granted to them under international humanitarian law have been stripped away, and they have become victims of deliberate targeting. Their safety and security are being imperilled, and their vulnerability is being exploited for military advantage. Moreover, the damage wrought on civilian lives through abductions of children, the blocking of access to humanitarian aid and attacks on critical civilian infrastructure is continuing to increase. The effects of this situation, including the mass destruction of cities and the prolonged economic, social and psychological impacts, will be acutely felt for years to come. Children have paid a particularly high price on account of the violence meted out, especially in the attacks against schools and hospitals. Guyana has always spoken out firmly against such actions and does so again today. We continue to demand that the parties respect humanitarian principles and uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law. We also recognize that ending such violations would require the complete withdrawal by the Russian Federation of its military forces from the internationally recognized territory of Ukraine. Even as we continue to demand an end to the war, we continue to be confronted with multiple allegations of violations of the airspace of neighbouring countries. As we have stated on previous occasions, every Member State has a legal obligation to uphold the provisions of the United Nations Charter and to respect the territorial integrity of other States. Guyana calls for an end to the ongoing violations, which risk igniting a broader regional conflict. We have said this many times: attempts to

I now call on His Excellency Mr. Marco Rubio, Secretary of State of the United States.

I thank you, Mr. President, and all present for convening here today on this important matter. When President Trump took office, he made one of his highest priorities the restoration of peace anywhere and everywhere in the world, wherever the opportunity presented itself. And that has been met with great success in a number of places. He chose to engage in the very dangerous conflict between India and Pakistan and was very involved in bringing it to a cessation of hostilities. When Thailand and Cambodia were engaged in hostilities, the President got involved over a weekend in the United States and was also able to play a critical role in that regard. We are very grateful to some of the countries in this room that were helpful in that regard when it comes to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, and work remains to be done in what is, again, a conflict that presents grave dangers and extraordinary humanitarian challenges. With Azerbaijan and Armenia, too, he became involved, and we were able to sign an agreement at the White House very recently, which, hopefully, will prevent a future conflict, which would prove costly and deadly. But the one that has proved to be an extraordinary challenge has been the war in Ukraine, between Russia and Ukraine. The President has worked on it tirelessly, investing a tremendous amount of his own time, energy at the highest levels of our Government. We have had meetings in Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Alaska, and have been on countless phone calls. We have done everything possible to bring this conflict to a resolution and to an end. It is a war that cannot end militarily. It will end at a negotiating table; that is where this war will end. But the longer it lasts, the more people will die, the more destruction there will be. Some of the numbers that we are seeing for loss of life among military personnel, for example, on the Russian Federation side, are staggering. In one month alone, there has been more loss of life than in the entirety of the United States engagement in Afghanistan or Iraq. This war has to end. We have done — and will continue to do — everything that we possibly can to bring it to an end. Very generous offers have been made, for example, for a ceasefire based on the current lines of contact, while all the other details on the future of the conflict would be worked out in terms of future territorial lines. The President has shown extraordinary patience in terms of not assessing additional sanctions in the hope of having a breakthrough in this regard. And all that has come to is that we have entered what appears to be a period of not just stagnation, but even potentially of escalation, with some of the highest numbers of strikes over the past few nights and before. And now we are also watching incursions into neighbouring airspace by both drones and aeroplanes. The President is a very patient man. He is very committed to peace, but his patience is not infinite. And as he has said repeatedly, he has before him the opportunity and the option to impose additional economic costs on the Russian Federation, if necessary, in order to bring this to an end. He also has before him the option, as he has already chosen to do in some circumstances, to sell defensive weaponry, and potentially offensive weaponry, so that Ukraine can defend itself from this assault by purchasing that weaponry. Therefore, I strongly urge the Security Council, the Member States here, and those that are not part of this as well, including the Russian Federation and the Ukrainian side for that matter, all sides, to do everything in their power to bring this war to an end before it becomes something that will last another three or four years, leading to more economic destruction and at the same time the loss of life and loss of property and loss of futures. This war needs to end. But if it does not, if there is no path to peace in the short term, then the United States and President Donald J. Trump will take the steps necessary to impose costs for continued aggression.

I would like to thank the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Korea to the United Nations for convening this meeting. At a time when the United Nations and its membership should be celebrating the eightieth anniversary of this Organization’s founding, the world faces multiple and severe crises, while many countries suffer from the scourge of war. Greece firmly believes that all crises could, and should, be averted through dialogue and diplomacy. Unfortunately, Russia’s unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine has defied all diplomatic efforts and resulted in an unprecedented loss of human life. For almost four years, Europe has experienced the most disastrous war in its territory since the Second World War. Greece has consistently backed all efforts to put an end to the war in Ukraine. We supported, along with the vast majority of the United Nations membership, the relevant General Assembly resolutions. We assisted this fellow European country in its time of dire need. Above all, we joined our voice with those of other countries on the need for peace. Greece has welcomed the United States-led initiatives and the decisive efforts to stop the bloodshed in Ukraine, firmly believing that the time for peace is long overdue. Three direct rounds of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia have produced some results, with regard to the exchange of prisoners and civilian detainees. Greece welcomes these agreements and their implementation and, furthermore, calls on Russia to engage in goodwill in further negotiations. We regret that Russia has not yet agreed to a leaders’ meeting and that it has shifted away from the path to peace, proceeding to reckless acts that affect the borders of the European Union and NATO. As a staunch proponent of international law and the Charter of the United Nations, Greece unequivocally condemns any violation of internationally recognized territory, by land, air or sea. Any change of borders as a result of the use of force is unacceptable and sets a dangerous precedent that could incite armed aggression and imitators elsewhere. We desire peace. As Thucydides has taught us, war is a choice, not an inevitability. We call on Russia to choose peace and cease hostilities. Our primary goal now should be a permanent, comprehensive, just and lasting peace settlement that will be fully in line with international law, the United Nations Charter, General Assembly resolutions and the Helsinki Final Act. As a non- permanent member of the Council, Greece stands ready to work in this direction. Lastly, Greece firmly believes that a peaceful resolution for Ukraine without Ukraine is not possible. We likewise view Europe and its nations as an integral part of any solution to end the war. Together with our European partners, we will continue to prioritize Ukrainian, in other words European, security. To that end, we

I thank the Secretary-General for his insightful briefing. I echo his call for peace and the need to bring the protracted conflict in Ukraine to an end. I welcome the President of Ukraine, the Ministers for Foreign Affairs of France, Slovenia, the United States, the United Kingdom and Guyana, and the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Greece to this meeting, as well as the ministers and high-level representatives of other Member States. The conflict in Ukraine has raged on for more than three and a half years. It has affected the regional and international security landscape. Continued fighting has caused immense human suffering. The repercussions of this conflict extend far beyond its geographical expanse, increased polarization and geo-political tensions, disruption of supply chains, food and energy insecurity, global inflation and much more. The global South has borne a disproportionate brunt of these consequences. We have consistently maintained that there is no military solution here or in the foreseeable future. Every bullet fired, every rocket and drone launched and every life lost moves us further away from peace. We call upon the parties to demonstrate restraint, scrupulously adhere to international humanitarian law and make meaningful strides towards de-escalation. Given the complex historical context and the intricate nature of this conflict, the logic of singling out third countries and placing the blame elsewhere is not conducive to the pursuit of peace. A glimmer of hope did emerge at the start of the year, to pursue the path of dialogue and diplomacy. The Security Council adopted resolution 2774 (2025), mourning the tragic loss of life; reaffirming the principle in the Charter of the United Nations to peacefully settle disputes; imploring a swift end to the conflict; and urging a lasting peace between Ukraine and Russia. Pakistan supported this resolution. Pakistan also welcomed the ensuing political engagement, including direct talks between Russia and Ukraine, facilitated by the United States President himself. It generated optimism for an early end to this conflict. We certainly hope that these efforts will bear fruit. Our collective priority must be to silence the guns and create conditions for a negotiated settlement. As an ardent advocate for peace and a firm believer in the power of dialogue and diplomacy, we will support all endeavours aimed at resolving the issue peacefully. That was also the spirit of resolution 2788 (2025), adopted by the Council in July. The path of peace is the only responsible choice. A sincere and meaningful dialogue that addresses the security concerns of all sides, is anchored in the principles of the United Nations Charter and international law and respects the relevant multilateral agreements can help to secure a peace that is both just and sustainable. Pakistan will continue to support all regional and international efforts that pave the way for a peaceful resolution of this conflict.

I now call on His Excellency Mr. Javier Martínez Acha Vásquez, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Panama.

Panama would like to thank the Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres, for the information provided on the conflict in Ukraine. We welcome the presence of the various officials who join us once again today to address the situation regarding the conflict between the Russian Federation and Ukraine. The recent violation of the airspace of Poland and Romania and yesterday’s meeting (see S/PV.10002), convened in response to the incursion of Russian combat aircraft into Estonian airspace, are troubling signs of the escalation in the conflict, which undermines the recent diplomatic efforts promoted by the United States, with the support of European countries, to put an end to this war. Panama reiterates that dialogue is the only path to the peaceful resolution of this conflict and that, with the requisite political will, it is possible to establish the conditions that guarantee respect for international obligations and safeguard peace and security, all within a broad framework of freedom and the sovereign equality of States, with full respect for their sovereignty and territorial integrity. This war — the most devastating war in Europe since 1945 — and the attendant humanitarian crisis, which has led to high numbers of civilian and military deaths, injuries, disappearances and displacements and which has also driven an unprecedented increase in global military expenditure, must come to an end. The effects of this tragedy are not confined to a single region. Its humanitarian, economic and political repercussions are global in nature and are felt in all areas of life. For 80 years, Panama has upheld the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and in international humanitarian law as essential pillars of peaceful coexistence among peoples. Our country has maintained that respect for those norms is the greatest contribution that we can offer humankind in order to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war. Today we reaffirm the validity of their normative value and the preservation of their integrity and universality as a vital factor in guaranteeing the stability of the international order and respect for human rights. Panama regards multilateralism as an indispensable tool for success and an example of effective international cooperation that, as we can attest from personal experience, has proven its effectiveness in promoting peace and resolving conflicts peacefully and helps to tackle the common challenges of the present and of the future. Only through the will of every member of the Council and the readiness to transform rhetoric into actions to promote peace can we demonstrate the effectiveness of this United Nations organ and our ability to bring peace to peoples who are suffering the consequences of war. Panama expresses its hope that all the parties involved will act with determination to achieve, without delay, a just and lasting peace, one that fully respects the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine and the human rights of all affected persons.

I thank Secretary-General António Guterres for his briefing. Allow me to make four points. First, dialogue and negotiations remain the fundamental path forward. Recently, positive momentum has emerged in the dialogue and negotiations on the Ukraine crisis, with key parties holding a series of engagements and talks. However, significant differences remain in their positions and demands. The parties to the Secondly, promoting de-escalation is a pressing priority. At present, there are no signs of a halt to hostilities on the ground. The parties to the conflict continue to carry out large-scale drone and missile attacks, and substantial quantities of arms and ammunition continue to flow into the battlefield. China has consistently called for adherence to the three principles of no expansion of the battlefield, no escalation of the fighting and no provocation by any party. We hope all parties will play a constructive role in de-escalating the situation and in creating the necessary conditions for a ceasefire and a cessation of hostilities at an early date. Thirdly, alleviating the humanitarian crisis is a moral imperative. Civilians are the greatest victims of war. Each additional day of conflict brings an additional day of suffering to the people. The parties to the conflict should exercise restraint, strictly abide by international humanitarian law, refrain under all circumstances from attacking civilians and civilian infrastructure and avoid the use of weapons of mass destruction. The international community should step up its humanitarian assistance efforts in order to help those affected by the crisis to overcome their difficulties. Fourthly, containing the spillover effects of the crisis is a shared responsibility. The crisis has taken a big toll on global economic development, with developing countries bearing the brunt. The international community should strengthen cooperation on such issues as food, energy, finance, trade and the protection of critical infrastructure, in order to jointly maintain the stability and smooth functioning of global supply chains. Abusing unilateral sanctions and long-arm jurisdiction under the pretext of the crisis does not contribute to a political settlement. On the contrary, it creates new problems and should therefore be rejected. Since day one of the crisis, China has been upholding an objective and impartial position, calling for a ceasefire and a cessation of hostilities and advocating for peace talks towards a political settlement. Guided by the four “shoulds” put forth by President Xi Jinping, we have maintained close communication with the parties concerned, sent our special envoy for shuttle diplomacy and, together with Brazil and other countries of the global South, initiated the Group of Friends for Peace on the Ukraine Crisis in order to consolidate calls for peace, promote consensus on peace and advance peace efforts. China stands ready to work with the international community and continue its constructive role for the early political settlement of the crisis.

We thank you, Mr. President, for convening this briefing on Ukraine at the request of Slovenia, Denmark, Greece, France and the United Kingdom. I welcome President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s participation in this meeting. I thank the Secretary-General, Mr. António Guterres, for his comprehensive and sobering briefing. We also welcome the participation of ministers from neighbouring countries in this meeting. For nearly four years, the Security Council has called for an end to a conflict that continues to inflict devastating harm on civilians and critical infrastructure. Since 2022, nearly 14,000 civilians, including more than 700 children, have been killed and more than 35,000 injured. Sierra Leone has consistently condemned the disregard for sovereignty, territorial integrity and the peaceful settlement of disputes enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. Article 2, paragraph 3, obliges Member States to resolve their disputes by peaceful means while refraining from the threat or use of force. The neglect of these principles and international law in this conflict is troubling, as are the repeated use of force and the Council’s failure to secure a ceasefire. This conflict will not be resolved on the battlefield but through In the light of the foregoing, I wish to make four points. First, international humanitarian law must be respected. Attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, whether in Ukraine or Russia, violate the principles of proportionality, precaution and distinction. Secondly, the conflict’s toll on children and women is particularly grave. Thousands of children have been killed, injured or traumatized, while many women face disproportionate impacts on their livelihoods. We call for the immediate return of Ukrainian children and women’s inclusion in peace and recovery processes. Thirdly, humanitarian needs remain immense. More than 12 million people require assistance, with millions displaced internally and across Europe. The destruction of infrastructure, contamination of land by mines and the onset of winter make unhindered humanitarian access and sustained funding more urgent than ever. Fourthly, good-faith ceasefire and peace negotiations must be pursued. Confidence-building measures, such as prisoner exchanges and the return of children, should be built on. We commend the efforts of Türkiye in this regard. We are concerned about violations of the airspace of Poland, Romania and Estonia, which risk wider escalation. The Security Council must support political dialogue to prevent regional conflagration. The conflict has already severely disrupted global economic supply chains, resulting in shortages and price increases of critical food and fuel supplies. Sierra Leone continues to call for dialogue and diplomacy, in line with Article 33 of the Charter, as the only path to a just and sustainable peace. We call for negotiations towards a peaceful settlement that respects Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity while addressing the legitimate security concerns of all parties.

We thank the Secretary-General for his briefing on the worrisome developments in Ukraine and the wider region. We meet today as the war in Ukraine enters yet another difficult chapter in a conflict whose origins stretch back years and whose consequences have rippled far beyond its borders. The latest developments only reinforce the urgency and complexity of the crisis. In that regard, I would like to make the following points. First, we are deeply troubled by the ongoing escalation of attacks affecting civilians and essential civilian infrastructure. Hospitals, schools and homes must never become casualties of war. Protecting civilians, particularly the most vulnerable among them, and preserving essential infrastructure are obligations enshrined under international law. Our delegation reiterates that all parties to the conflict must respect and uphold these principles without exception. Secondly, we must acknowledge that there can be no military solution to this conflict. My delegation welcomes the ongoing peace efforts spearheaded by President Trump to bring an end to this protracted conflict. We believe that every opportunity for peace and diplomacy, however brief, must be seized and built upon. We take note of the upcoming planned meeting between President Trump of the United States and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the General Assembly, which we hope will advance dialogue and diplomacy. We also commend the humanitarian mediation efforts, including prisoner-of-war exchanges, and progress on these issues can build the trust necessary for broader engagement. In conclusion, my delegation reaffirms its unwavering support for all efforts aimed at addressing the root causes of the conflict and achieving a just and lasting peace in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations. The people of Ukraine and all those affected by this crisis deserve a future and a path to peace founded on peace, security and dignity.

It is highly regrettable that Security Council members must waste their time today on a meeting requested by our European colleagues purely to host the latest New York tour of a certain well-known former actor. For this meeting, they have crowded into the Chamber as if it were the subway at rush hour, and every statement that we have heard and will hear echoes the previous ones and has nothing to do with the truth. Of course, this meeting will add no value to the cause of establishing peace in Ukraine and will only serve as another shameful episode in the theatre of hypocrisy that characterizes how European States frame the issue of Ukraine. The European sponsors of the Zelenskyy regime want the Security Council to inhabit, as they do, some parallel reality in which Ukraine is not losing on the battlefield, surrendering city after city, and Ukrainian citizens are lining up to die in a pointless meat grinder for Western geopolitical interests. In this perverse narrative that they are trying to impose on us today, Ukraine is an island of democracy and freedom, and its usurper leader, who has broken all his campaign promises and thrown thousands of his fellow citizens into prison, enjoys the support of all Ukrainians, who see no need for elections when they have such a wonderful President. Those who, for whatever reason, play along with the European puppet masters of Ukraine must understand that they are in essence becoming complicit in a criminal manipulation aimed at preventing a long-term, just and lasting peace in Ukraine that implies, among other things, the development of security guarantees to eliminate the threat of renewed conflict in Europe. In essence, this is a conspiracy aimed at ensuring that Ukrainians continue to perish by the thousands in a senseless fratricidal slaughter that Russia’s Western adversaries have been orchestrating for many years, hoping to bleed our country dry and undermine its security and economic potential. At the same time, ugly phenomena that would be outrageous to any civilized State and that no self-respecting Government would tolerate in its own country or backyard are being deliberately ignored. In particular, we are all being asked to turn a blind eye to the fact that the Kyiv puppets, rabid with Russophobia and the permissiveness of their suzerains, have no intention of abandoning their persecution of the Russian- speaking citizens of Ukraine, prohibiting them  — contrary to their own country’s Constitution — from speaking their mother tongue and teaching it to their children. Before our very eyes, people are being forced, under the threat of death and persecution, to forsake their identity and spiritual and historical roots, to the applause of all the so- called European democracies, which baselessly claim that Russia wants to trample on the Ukrainian identity. That was never our goal. This is a huge, brazen lie promoted by the Kyiv princeling to intimidate and hoodwink the international community. We are being asked to forget how, emboldened by impunity, the neo-Nazi regime in Kyiv, which came to power in a Western-backed coup d’état in violation of the Charter of the United Nations, fired on defenceless people in southern and eastern To those who are contriving to force the whole world to think according to this twisted paradigm, history begins only in February 2022. They do not want to remember the broken promises about not allowing NATO to expand eastwards and about the indivisibility of security. They want to erase all recollection of what they did in Kyiv in 2014, plucking out of the Charter of the United Nations a lone principle — respect for the territorial integrity of States — while neglecting sovereign equality, non-interference in their internal affairs and the right of peoples to self-determination. To them the problem lies only in action taken in response to their own steps and, in the process, they are supplanting international law with a so- called “rules-based order” based on rules that they themselves are concocting and imposing on others. The Ukrainian crisis is a direct result of the actions and steps that they have been taking for years, despite all our warnings and calls to stop and change course, which is leading the country to disaster. Now, when this catastrophe is plain to all — except perhaps to the leader of the Kyiv regime, who is saving his own skin and his stolen billions, and to those who put him in power — they seek to scupper efforts towards establishing long-term and sustainable peace in Ukraine. The country has become synonymous not only with widespread corruption and total lawlessness, but also with the blatant double standards that the collective West and the media under its control are displaying in the Ukrainian context. Nowhere else in the world, in no other conflict, has there been such consistent disregard for incontrovertible violations of international humanitarian law as there has been for those committed by the Kyiv regime, which uses civilians as human shields and places air defence systems close to residential areas. Tragedies have resulted from debris falling on residential buildings or from errant anti-aircraft missiles  — incidents which would not have happened in other circumstances, since, as has been repeatedly underscored, the Russian air force exclusively carries out high-precision strikes on targets related to the military-industrial capabilities of the Kyiv regime. Moreover, in most cases they are a response to Ukrainian drone strikes on civilian targets in Russian cities and Ukrainian nationalists’ targeted shelling of residential buildings, schools, kindergartens and hospitals, which the West tries to ignore. Unfortunately, they are supported in this by the Secretariat, which eagerly picks up on any statements from Kyiv and ignores the grim statistics reported by the Russian authorities. We see this as a flagrant violation of Article 100 of the United Nations Charter, which requires the Organization’s staff to be impartial. Such a policy does not cast António Guterres and his subordinates in a favourable light. It is now clear to us all that the European Union and NATO are in an imbroglio with regard to the anti-Russian Ukrainian project, having become entangled and enmeshed in lies and not really knowing how to extricate themselves from this self- induced situation. Washington was the first to see the light, after the new American Administration came to power. However, instead of joining efforts for peace, Brussels and allied capitals continue, either deliberately or out of inertia, to fan the flames of war, while consistently and baselessly portraying Russia as an enemy that Such brainwashing and zombification of the population and the desire to attribute to Russia their own shortcomings and mistakes and the acute economic and social problems faced by European societies as a result of their own ill-conceived sanctions can be likened only to the manipulation of German and Italian citizens on the eve of Second World War. Subsequently, all these manipulators, having learned another bitter lesson from history, will throw up their hands and claim that they were unaware of the consequences of their actions. It is heartening that not everyone in Europe is prepared to go down this destructive path and that political forces and leaders who reject war and confrontation in Europe are increasingly coming forward to advocate for the development of mutually beneficial and equal relations with Russia. We have been in favour of such a state of affairs from the very outset. The contours of a future peace in Ukraine are clear to all of us, as is the fact that the Kyiv regime’s ideas about what that might look like have no connection to reality and are only condemning thousands more Ukrainian citizens who do not want to go to the front to a senseless death. Just yesterday, on a Ukrainian television channel, one of the local propagandists lamented that many Ukrainians are being rounded up on the streets, but they, “are quickly running out”. This cynical statement epitomizes the Kyiv regime. Do Council members agree with him about the unenviable fate of the surviving citizens of Ukraine? If so, the conversation ends there. If, however, Council members are not indifferent about these people, we look forward to seeing their support for, and genuine cooperation with, those who are striving to delineate the contours of a realistic, lasting and sustainable peace that would end this war, started in 2014 by the criminal Kyiv clique. We are not ruling out any negotiation formats, but we are exclusively in favour of serious, substantive and open-minded dialogue. Nor are we ruling out negotiations with Ukraine, despite the highly dubious  — to put it mildly  — legitimacy of its current authorities. The optimal format for this has already been identified, namely, the negotiations platform in Istanbul. The remainder can be discussed only once the experts have laid considerable groundwork. Unfortunately, that prospect is still a long way off. In conclusion, I would like to recall the prophetic words uttered two years ago, on the sidelines of the General Assembly’s high-level week, by Polish President Andrzej Duda: “Ukraine, like a drowning man, is dragging us all down.” Today, many who have spoken in the Chamber have become such “drowning men.” If Council members accept that inglorious fate, they can do nothing and continue in the same vein. If not, much work remains to be done. We stand ready to do that work. It is now their turn to make that choice.

I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Petr Pavel, President of the Czech Republic. President Pavel: It is an honour to address the Security Council again, and I thank the Korean presidency for this opportunity. The Czech Republic is proud to be among the founding nations of this esteemed Organization and remains fully committed to upholding the Charter of the United Nations and the rules-based international order. For more than 11 years, these principles have been under direct assault by Russia’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine, which continues to suffer daily attacks against civilians, infrastructure and even foreign diplomatic missions. Russia, in plain view of all, is not seeking peace. We condemn in the strongest terms possible the recent incursion of Russian drones into Polish airspace, and it was not an isolated incident. It forms part of Russia’s deliberate strategy to intimidate its neighbours and test the limits of international law. Czechia stands in full solidarity with Poland, Estonia and Romania and commends their swift and decisive defensive response in the face of this blatant act of aggression. After many years of war, Ukrainians are the ones who most want peace in their country. Therefore, Ukraine must be a key actor in peace talks. Any peace agreement must be based on international law, including the United Nations Charter, and be subject to Ukraine’s consent. The aggressor must not be rewarded for the unlawful use of force. Accountability and full reparations for the damage caused are essential for a just and lasting peace. There can be no doubt: Russia’s aggressive behaviour cannot be appeased. It must be faced with strength and a resolute global response. We call on all members of the international community — and on China in particular — to assume their responsibility and stop enabling this divisive war of aggression, which is at risk of escalating further and undermining global peace.

I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Peter Pellegrini, President of the Slovak Republic. President Pellegrini: First, I want to thank the Republic of Korea for putting Ukraine on the agenda of this Security Council meeting. As a neighbouring country, Slovakia is very concerned about the situation in Ukraine. Even though Slovakia and the Republic of Korea are geographically distant, we both recognize the wide-ranging effects of this war. Its consequences extend beyond Ukraine and affect global peace, security and justice. Eighty years ago, the Charter of the United Nations was created to prevent anyone from imposing their will on their sovereign neighbours or taking territory by force. We must stand firm against such actions. We have given the Security Council the important responsibility of maintaining peace and security and of upholding the Charter, yet the war in Ukraine has gone on for more than 1,300 days. This is not just a European issue. It concerns us all. For a long time, we believed that meetings like this would not be necessary. We must consistently defend the United Nations Charter to ensure that such behaviour does not happen again in the future, anywhere in the world. It is our duty to do everything we can to end this conflict. As a country with a war right at its border, Slovakia sees the heavy toll that the war takes: civilian casualties, the destruction of infrastructure and violations of humanitarian law. This war has serious implications for my region and for European security. Despite direct talks between President Trump and President Putin in Alaska, there has been no ceasefire or peace agreement. Although there were hopes for diplomatic talks and negotiations, the war continues. Russia refuses to stop fighting, forcing Ukraine to defend itself, its people and its borders. Recently, there have been troubling incidents involving our allies. Just two weeks ago, Russian drones violated the airspace of Poland, our neighbour and ally. I want to express my strong support for and solidarity with Poland and also with Estonia and Slovakia has consistently called for a quick and peaceful resolution to the war in Ukraine, including direct talks with Ukraine, the country that is most affected. We are ready to help and to support guarantees for a lasting peace that aligns with the United Nations Charter and United Nations resolutions. President Trump has tried to step up and to move from discussions to actions, and he is still trying. The entire international community should continue to pursue a peaceful resolution to the war through three items: first, an end to the fighting; secondly, mediated negotiations between Ukraine and Russia for a peace agreement; and thirdly, security guarantees for Ukraine, which would sustain the cause of peace in Ukraine.

I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Alexander Stubb, President of the Republic of Finland. President Stubb: I am addressing the Security Council on behalf of the Nordic States  — Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Denmark and Finland  — and I am probably being given the honour to do this because Finland shares a 1,340-kilometre border with Russia. The Security Council has had Ukraine on its agenda for the past 11 years, with few results on paper and even fewer on the ground. At the same time, it is quite clear that the General Assembly has condemned, overwhelmingly and on several occasions, the aggression by Russia. The Council was entrusted with the primary responsibility of maintaining international peace and security, and I think that it is quite safe to say that we have failed in that. Ordinary Ukrainian civilians — and actually, Russians as well — are paying a high price for this. Quite often, I hear words to the effect that we need to eradicate the root cause of this war. The root cause is very simple. The root cause is that Russia is not abiding by the Charter of the United Nations. It is really as simple as that. Russia is trying to violate the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. The Charter of the United Nations lays out the principles that underpin multilateralism. To my mind, these principles are universal. Every country has taken a sovereign decision to uphold them when joining the United Nations. They are the minimum common rules at the core of the whole international system. We heard that in the speech by the Secretary-General today, and we heard it from the President of the General Assembly. The prohibition of the use of force, sovereign equality and territorial integrity are fundamental to our coexistence. These rules are violated daily by the Russian Federation in Ukraine. Russia’s war of aggression violates the very essence of who we are. It violates the very essence of the United Nations Charter. If we allow borders to be changed by the use of force, it will set a precedent with global implications. If I look around the Chamber here today, I think most of us have had the experience throughout our history of war as a means of expansion. We have either been the victims thereof, or we have been the aggressor. And I always felt that after 1945 we should have all learned our lesson. Many of us probably believed that after 1989 that lesson had been learned, and we had been moving towards some kind of eternal peace. But the truth is that when we do not nurture the international institutions that are the foundations of peace, like the United Nations, we fail. I think a just peace is in our shared interests, and the solution is quite simple. It has two phases. The first phase is a ceasefire. Ukraine has accepted it. The United States has proposed it. Europe supports it. There is only one country that does not want a ceasefire, and that is Russia. And the second phase is very simple: one enters into peace negotiations. And peace negotiations can last a long time, but they are indeed the only way we can get out of this. The message to my Russian colleagues around this table is: it is time to talk about peace. There are too many people dying because of this conflict. I personally think that today could be a game changer for many reasons. One of them was President Trump’s post on Truth Social which I did not think left any space for interpretation. It was a clear message that it is time to end the war. And I think Secretary Rubio noted that President Trump was running out of patience. Now, of course, Russia is not operating alone. We therefore urge all States directly or indirectly supporting the invasion to stop. We live in an era with increasing geopolitical tension and hardening rhetoric in international relations. I think we need to be clear. Might does not make right. Borders cannot be moved by force. Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Dontetsk, Luhansk, Crimea and Sevastopol are Ukrainian. Membership in the Council comes with power, but it also comes with responsibility. I call on Council members to use that power to stop the killing and pave the way for a just and lasting peace in Ukraine for the sake of all of us. And let me finish by quoting my mentor, President Martti Ahtisaari, who was a big friend of the United Nations and received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2008. He said that what humans begin, they can also end. I call for an end to this war.

I now give the floor to His Excellency ⁠Mr. Alar Karis, President of the Republic of Estonia. President Karis: I speak on behalf of the Baltic States — Latvia, Lithuania and my own country, Estonia. We thank the presidency for convening us at this crucial moment on behalf of international peace and security. Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine constitutes one of the gravest breaches of international law and the Charter of the United Nations since its adoption 80 years ago. Despite repeated calls by the General Assembly to stop the aggression, Russia continues its brutal assault on the Ukrainian nation, which began with the illegal occupation and annexation of Crimea in 2014 and continued with the full- scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. This is totally incompatible not only with the status and responsibilities of a permanent member of the Security Council, but also with those of any United Nations Member State. The scale of the human tragedy Russia has inflicted on Ukraine is unimaginable. Millions of homes have been destroyed and families torn apart. Tens of thousands of children have been abducted and deported to Russia, subjugated to so-called re-education programmes in which their roots and identity are systematically erased. We continue to call on Russia to grant full access for the United Nations and independent monitors to the occupied territories, to the prisoner-of-war camps in Russia and to the areas under occupation. Russia must return the deported children. Russia must release all civilian detainees. In response to the recent peace efforts by the United States, Russia has only intensified its campaign of terror against Ukrainians. Russia has not held back even from targeting and damaging diplomatic facilities, in clear violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. The recent violations of Estonian, Polish and Romanian airspace by Russia are yet another escalation and a stark reminder that Russia’s aggression threatens not only Ukraine but the security of the entire region. On Monday, an emergency Security Council meeting was convened to discuss the grave violation of Estonia’s Russia is not interested in peace and security, neither in Ukraine nor in Europe. In March, President Zelenskyy agreed to a 30-day ceasefire proposal. That was six months ago. Russia, on the other hand, has shown no intention of agreeing to a ceasefire, let alone a lasting peace. Russia’s objectives remain unchanged: the subjugation of all of Ukraine and the reshaping of Europe’s security order to satisfy Russia’s own neocolonial and imperial ambitions. The only viable way forward towards a ceasefire and ultimately towards lasting peace in Ukraine is to collectively increase international pressure to force Russia to accept a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. Ukrainians have courageously defended not only their country but also the core principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations  — sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. These principles are non-negotiable and cannot be compromised, as they form the very foundation of the international law- based multilateral system. The Baltic States’ message is clear: Russia and its leadership must be held accountable for the crime of aggression, for the war crimes and crimes against humanity. There can be no lasting peace without accountability. Without accountability, there can be no justice. And without justice, there cannot be lasting peace. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes. In accordance with Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, Ukraine has the inherent right to defend itself against Russia’s armed aggression. Defending Ukraine’s freedom means for us defending the sovereign equality of all the Member States, large and small, the core principle on which the United Nations was founded. We call on the Security Council to act. The cost of inaction is borne not only by Ukraine, but by the credibility of the international community as a whole. We urge all United Nations Member States to increase pressure on Russia by strengthening sanctions and by providing greater political, military and humanitarian support to Ukraine. Impunity, appeasement and further concessions would only embolden the aggressor and would lead to new crimes and escalation by Russia. Therefore, it remains our common duty to support Ukraine in its legitimate pursuit of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace  — a peace rooted firmly in international law.

I now give the floor to Mr. Costa. Mr. Costa: First of all, I would like to thank the presidency of the Republic of Korea for convening this meeting. Ukraine is fighting for the very principles of the Charter of the United Nations  — sovereignty, territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders and the right to choose its own destiny. We cannot rewrite history. This war started with an unjustified and illegal attack by Russia. There is only one root cause to this war — Russia’s refusal to accept Ukraine’s right to choose its own future. Peace in Ukraine is not just in the interest of Ukraine. It is not just in the interest of Europe. It is the interest of the global community. If we accept Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, no country will ever be safe. The pursuit of peace must be the top priority of the global community. The European Union will continue to work to end this war of aggression and to support Ukraine in every way. A ceasefire, to which Ukraine has already agreed, is To achieve an end to the aggression, the European Union will continue to apply pressure on Russia through sanctions. To ensure a lasting peace, the European Union, in the context of the coalition of the willing, is ready to contribute concrete security guarantees to Ukraine. And to fulfil the aspirations of the Ukrainian people, the European Union will continue to support Ukraine on its path to full membership in the European Union. The time for peace is now, and it is also time for Russia to stop this aggression.

I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Pedro Sánchez Pérez- Castejón, President of the Government of Spain.

I thank the presidency of the Republic of Korea for convening this meeting on Ukraine because one of the Security Council’s priorities must be to bring peace to Ukraine once and for all. Unfortunately, after three and a half years of conflict, we remain stuck at the same crossroads, with no significant progress towards a lasting solution. This has been said on various occasions, but it is important that we not forget it — Russia’s aggression against Ukraine constitutes an unacceptable violation of international law and the values we share as an international community. This aggression is particularly alarming because it has been perpetrated by a permanent member in this Chamber, the Security Council, the organ supposedly responsible for ensuring global peace and stability. If we allow force and coercion to replace dialogue and mutual respect among nations, we will be setting a dangerous precedent that will jeopardize the stability of borders and the international order, especially in Europe, but also in other regions of the world. Let me emphasize clearly: any peace agreement reached must be firmly anchored in respect for international law and the Charter of the United Nations. As such, we cannot accept solutions that involve the legitimization of violence or the forcible alteration of internationally recognized borders. If we renounce these principles, we will not only be betraying the trust of the peoples we represent, but we will be opening the door to new crises and conflicts in the future. From day one, Spain has been a staunch defender of Ukraine’s freedom and security. We are part of the coalition of the willing. We have sent billions of euros to Kyiv in military and humanitarian aid. We have trained more than 8,000 Ukrainian soldiers. And we have hosted more than 240,000 displaced Ukrainians in our country. Ukraine has also repeatedly demonstrated its readiness to commit to a ceasefire and seek a negotiated solution to the conflict. Yet the response of Putin, the President of the Russian Federation, has been — time and again — to escalate the violence and launch new attacks, ignoring the appeals of the international community and exacerbating the suffering of the innocent civilian population. The recent bombings deliberately targeting civilians and essential infrastructure in Ukraine  — hospitals, schools, power grids and water networks  — are clear proof that Russia currently has no desire for peace with Ukraine. The violations of European airspace in recent days are absolutely unacceptable. The international community must act with determination and unity, using all political, diplomatic During this high-level week, let us together reaffirm our commitment to peace, justice and respect for international law. We cannot allow indifference or weariness to paralyse us. We must remember that the defence of international law and human rights is a shared responsibility and that only through solidarity and cooperation can we ensure a secure and dignified future for generations to come.

I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Luc Frieden, Prime Minister of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.

I thank you, Mr. President, for convening this meeting and allowing us to speak. I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Benelux countries: Belgium, the Kingdom of the Netherlands and my own country, Luxembourg. I thank my colleagues, the Prime Minister of Belgium and the Netherlands, for being here with me today to underline the importance we, as representatives of the Benelux countries, attach to peace and security in Ukraine. For over three years now, we — and the overwhelming majority of United Nations Member States — have been calling on Russia to end its illegal war of aggression against Ukraine. Russia must stop this war immediately, as already stated by the International Court of Justice in March 2022. In this war, Russia is the aggressor, and Ukraine has a legitimate right to defend itself, in line with Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations. In February, the Council adopted resolution 2774 (2025), imploring a swift end to the conflict and urging a lasting peace between Ukraine and Russian. As a permanent member of the Council, Russia has a special responsibility to uphold the United Nations Charter, international law and global stability. In reality, Russia is challenging the very principles of the United Nations. Therefore, Russia’s aggression not only undermines Ukraine’s security and Europe’s security as a whole — it affects the entire international community. For years, the people of Ukraine have bravely stood up against daily indiscriminate bombings and killings by Russia’s armed forces. Countless civilians have died. Entire neighbourhoods and cities have been destroyed. Thousands of Ukrainian children have been abducted. These children must be brought back immediately. The Benelux countries reiterate their strongest possible condemnation of this war, started by President Putin. Our message to Russia remains clear and simple: it must stop attacking Ukraine and withdraw its troops. The Benelux countries underline their unwavering support for Ukraine. We remain steadfast in our support for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine, in line with the Charter of the United Nations. Any peace must be just — not imposed, not partial and not forgetting the victims and the suffering endured. There must be accountability for all the crimes committed. We welcome the peace efforts led by President Trump. However, despite intense diplomacy by the United States, Ukraine, the European Union and other partners, there are no signs that Russia’s goal of subjugating Ukraine has changed. On the contrary, while Ukraine has repeatedly stated its readiness for an immediate ceasefire and meaningful peace negotiations, Russia keeps targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure. Russia’s reckless behaviour was evident in the past two weeks, when it repeatedly violated NATO airspace. These dangerous provocations, which are violating international law, demonstrate that if Russia’s aggression remains unchecked, it is bound to repeat itself and expand.

I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Antonio Tajani, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy.

The Italian goal is very clear: a just and lasting peace. Our priority is the respect of international law. We of course stand with Ukraine, fighting to defend its freedom and sovereignty. This is a key priority at the United Nations, in the Group of Seven and in the European Union. I want to make this point very clear: we are not at war with Russia. Our goal is to bring Russia to the negotiation table for a just peace. We are fully convinced that a path to peace is still possible. As Pope Leo said, we cannot abandon hope for peace. We fully support the efforts of President Trump to reach a negotiated and fair solution to the conflict. To this end, we urge Russia to cease its attack and to follow up on the summit in Alaska. It is time to start direct negotiations with Ukraine. Italy strongly supports this political process. We all need to support it. This is the key to ending this conflict. (spoke in French) I would now like to address my colleagues from our partner countries directly. It is time for us to pool our efforts for a just peace. Rome will always be willing to listen. At the same time, we hope that Russia will soon be able to send concrete signs of cooperation. In this context, the recent violations of Polish, Romanian and Estonian airspace are unacceptable. They are bad signs, but we must avoid escalation. We remain alarmed by the security of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. We must continue to support the efforts of the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mr. Grossi. Any lasting solution to the conflict must include robust security guarantees for Ukraine. It is also essential that no decision pertaining to Ukraine be taken without Ukraine. The future of Ukraine is in the European Union. (spoke in Spanish) Italy is on the front line in the reconstruction of Ukraine. The Ukraine Recovery Conference that we organized in Rome in July raised more than €10 billion. From Rome, we sent a message to the world: we all believe in the future of Ukraine. We will continue to pay particular attention to the cultural heritage of Ukraine. For example, Italy will help to rebuild the emblematic buildings of Odesa by making available our finest experts. We must also focus on the humanitarian aspects of the war. That is a very strong message that Pope Leo reaffirmed to me in person during an official meeting a few weeks ago. Peace also means justice. We must guarantee accountability for those responsible for crimes and full reparations for the victims. We must protect Ukrainian children and return them to their families and homeland without further delay. The release of prisoners of war and the return of Ukrainian children are crucial priorities. We will be working with Ukraine. Italy will do everything it can. We defend the sovereignty of Ukraine, and we are working towards peace and a meeting between Ukraine and Russia so that we can emerge from that meeting with lasting peace.