S/PV.9965 Security Council

In accordance with rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representatives of Latvia, Poland and Ukraine to participate in this meeting. In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the following briefers to participate in this meeting: Mr. Miroslav Jenča, Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and Americas, Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations; and Ms. Joyce Msuya, Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator. In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I also invite His Excellency Mr. Stavros Lambrinidis, Head of the Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations, 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 Mr. Jenča. Mr. Jenča: I last briefed the Security Council on the situation in Ukraine a little more than a month ago (see S/PV.9940). Since then, the daily barrage of Russian missiles and drones against Ukrainian cities and towns has continued to intensify, with devastating consequences for the civilian population. According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), in June, civilian casualties in Ukraine reached a three-year high. In the first half of the year alone, 6,754 civilians were killed or injured. According to the Ukrainian authorities, so far in July, the Russian Federation has launched at least 5,183 long-range munitions against Ukraine, including a record number of 728 long-range drones on 9 July. In recent weeks, the capital city of Kyiv and the historic port city of Odesa have been especially heavily affected by daily attacks, involving massive swarms of hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles. And while front-line areas of the Kherson, Zaporizhzhya, Sumy, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk regions of Ukraine remain particularly dangerous for civilians, nowhere is safe in Ukraine. Over the past few weeks, civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure have also been reported in the western Ukrainian regions of Lviv, Volyn, Chernivtsi, Lutsk and Ivano-Frankivsk, with the latter two cities reportedly experiencing their heaviest aerial attacks of the war. Across the country, attacks have struck hospitals, schools, energy and transport infrastructure, and residential buildings. On 21 July, a massive Russian aerial strike on Kyiv reportedly caused damage to a metro station, where hundreds were seeking shelter. The same attack reportedly set the kindergarten on fire and damaged a multistorey residential building, resulting in dozens of civilian casualties. On 11 July, Russian drones hit the city centre of Kharkiv, reportedly damaging a maternity ward in the country’s second-largest hospital, forcing mothers with newborns to flee. On 24 June, a countrywide Russian drone and missile attack reportedly struck a passenger train and damaged more than 40 schools and kindergartens, a cathedral, eight medical centres and hospitals, and several residential buildings. At least 21 people were reportedly killed, and more than 300 injured. The same devastating scene was repeated during another record-level attack across Ukraine on 29 June. We are also concerned about the increasing number of reported civilian casualties, reportedly resulting from Ukrainian drone attacks inside the Russian Federation. According to Russian officials, Ukrainian drone attacks in recent weeks have led to civilian casualties in the Belgorod, Kursk, Bryansk, Voronezh, Kaluga, Lipetsk and Tula regions of the Russian Federation. Moscow and Saint Petersburg have also been targeted, with dozens of drones reportedly causing severe disruptions to air traffic. Following one such recent series of attacks, between 5 and 7 July, more than 2,000 flights were reportedly disrupted in multiple Russian airports, including in Moscow, Saint Petersburg and Nizhny Novgorod. The United Nations, however, is not in a position to verify these reported incidents in the Russian Federation, including any reports of civilian casualties. International law clearly prohibits attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure. We strongly condemn all such attacks, wherever they occur. They must end immediately. The intensified aerial attacks and fighting on the ground continue to pose a significant threat to the safety and security of Ukraine’s nuclear sites. On 11 July, a drone attack reportedly hit the city hall in Enerhodar, where most of the staff of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant reside, located only an approximate five kilometres from the plant. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the reported drone attack followed reports of an overnight shooting incident near the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant on 12 July. On 4 July, the IAEA raised concerns over the reported loss by the plant of all its off-site power for several hours. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s operating nuclear power plants — Khmelnytskyi, Rivne and South Ukraine — also regularly report drones being detected near the sites. These latest incidents underline the fragility of nuclear safety and security during the war and the need to ensure sustained attention to this issue. We continue to urge the sides to act responsibly. Any nuclear incident must be avoided at all costs. Already at the end of last year, the total cost of reconstruction and recovery in Ukraine was assessed at $524 billion over the next decade. The most recent escalation of attacks is quickly adding to this toll. In this regard, this year’s Ukraine Recovery Conference, which took place in Rome earlier this month, represented a significant milestone in the international community’s commitment to supporting Ukraine’s long-term reconstruction. The event culminated in more than $11 billion in pledged funding. Speaking on behalf of the Secretary-General, Acting United Nations Development Programme Administrator Haoliang Xu reaffirmed the commitment of the United Nations to supporting Ukraine to rebuild stronger — from advancing green energy and mine action to supporting community resilience. It is crucial that the international solidarity with Ukraine is sustained as the country embarks on its long journey to recovery. On Wednesday, Ukrainian and Russian delegations met in Istanbul for the third time this year. We welcome the continuation of these direct contacts between the sides, and we urge Ukraine and the Russian Federation to make further progress towards a ceasefire and a lasting settlement. We are grateful for the meaningful efforts of Türkiye, the United States of America and other relevant actors to help sustain the necessary diplomatic momentum. We commend, in particular, the reported progress made in the humanitarian track of these talks, including with regard to exchanges of prisoners of war and civilian detainees. Since late May, following the first two rounds of negotiations in Istanbul, the Russian Federation and Ukraine have already On Tuesday, the Council unanimously adopted a resolution reiterating that all States shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means through dialogue, diplomatic engagement and cooperation in such a manner that international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered (resolution 2788 (2025)). The resolution also underscored the importance of the full, equal and meaningful participation of women and of the meaningful participation of youth in dispute resolution efforts. As the Secretary-General stated during that meeting (see S/PV.9962), diplomacy may not have always succeeded in preventing conflicts, violence and instability, but it still holds the power to stop them. With this in mind, and recalling resolution 2774 (2025), adopted in February, it is crucial that the momentum of the ongoing diplomatic contacts is not only sustained, but reinforced by genuine political will to make tangible progress towards ending the current dangerous cycle of escalation as soon as possible. The heartbreaking and rising human toll of the past nearly three and a half years of war underscores the urgency of a complete, immediate and unconditional ceasefire as the first step towards a just and lasting peace — a peace that is in line with the Charter of the United Nations, international law and the relevant United Nations resolutions and that respects the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, within its internationally recognized borders. We remain ready to support all meaningful efforts to this end.

I thank Mr. Jenča for his briefing. I now give the floor to Ms. Msuya. Ms. Msuya: I thank you, Mr. President, for the opportunity to brief the Council once again on the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, along with Assistant-Secretary- General Jenča. Since our most recent update to the Council on 20 June (see S/PV.9940), the humanitarian situation in Ukraine has continued to deteriorate sharply. Over the past week, renewed waves of missile and drone strikes have devastated lives and infrastructure across multiple regions, as already outlined by Assistant Secretary- General Jenča. According to the human rights monitoring mission in Ukraine, the scale and speed of civilian harm remain alarmingly high. In the first half of 2025, nearly 50 per cent more civilian casualties were recorded compared to the same period last year. Over the past day, authorities report that strikes on urban centres, including Cherkasy, Kharkiv and Odesa, killed 5 civilians and injured 93 — among them 11 children — as hostilities intensify nationwide. Last weekend, attacks struck populated areas in Dnipro, Kharkiv and Sumy, reportedly killing dozens of people and injuring more than 70, including children. In Kharkiv, a rehabilitation centre for persons with disabilities was hit. In Kyiv, a kindergarten, a metro station, shops and residential buildings were damaged. In the Ivano-Frankivsk region — once seen as a refuge far from the front lines and home to many displaced families — we saw the largest attack there since the war escalated in 2022. There is no safe place left in Ukraine. These are the latest in a series of attacks that have brought even more fear and suffering to communities, both near the front lines and far from them. The use of explosive weapons in populated areas, including long-range missiles and drones, remains a key driver of civilian harm. For many displaced women and girls, safety remains out of reach. Risks of violence — at home, in shelters and during evacuations — continue. However, the local, women-led groups best placed to help are scaling back, owing to funding shortfalls, leaving countless women without the protection they so urgently need. Displacement from front-line areas continues to rise. Since April, more than 26,000 people fleeing hostilities have registered at transit centres. In response, our partners are working with authorities to open new sites in the Sumy and Dnipro regions to meet rising needs. Across Ukraine, 3.7 million people remain displaced, with nearly 6 million refugees abroad. In addition, unverified reports in recent days and weeks indicate civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure in the regions of Kursk, Bryansk, Belgorod, Voronezh, Kaluga, Lipetsk and Tula regions in the Russian Federation. Under international humanitarian law, all parties must take all feasible precautions to avoid and minimize civilian harm. The continued use of anti-personnel mines puts civilian lives and livelihoods at risk every day. The Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction strictly prohibits their use. Under this Convention, States have agreed that the harm caused by these weapons is unacceptable and that considerations of humanity must impose limits on their use. We cannot go back. This is why we note with alarm the recent decree by the Ukrainian President announcing Ukraine’s withdrawal from the Convention. This follows the regrettable decisions of neighbouring countries to withdraw from this Convention. Assertions of exceptional threats and military necessity cannot outweigh international humanitarian law, which seeks to limit human suffering precisely when a State is fighting against its enemy. The Secretary-General has urged all States to adhere to humanitarian disarmament treaties and immediately halt any steps towards their withdrawal. Despite relentless risks, our humanitarian partners in Ukraine continue their vital work, providing more than 3.6 million people with emergency healthcare, shelter, clean water and cash for families since January. But access remains precarious. In regions such as Kherson and Donetsk, intensified fighting has forced aid convoys to be delayed or suspended, putting humanitarian workers at risk and interrupting life-saving support. We remain committed to ensuring all necessary arrangements are in place to reach people in need — safely and without obstruction. Our ability to reach an estimated 1.5 million civilians in areas under the control of the Russian Federation, including parts of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhya, remains extremely limited and increasingly difficult. It is not lack of capacity or will, but rather persistent access impediments, which prevent us from getting help to those who need it most. At the same time, we urgently need the resources to sustain and expand efforts where we have access. International humanitarian law could not be clearer — all parties must allow safe, rapid and unimpeded access to civilians in need, no matter where they are or who controls the territory. Despite the growing scale of needs, funding remains critically low — just 34 per cent of the $2.6 billion required for the 2025 humanitarian needs and response plan has been received, forcing cuts to vital programmes just as needs are soaring. Cash assistance, mental health support and services to respond to gender-based violence have been slashed owing to funding shortfalls. Without an immediate influx of Last week, the United Nations and our humanitarian partners launched the 2025–2026 winter response plan, which aims to reach 1.7 million people with heating support, winter clothing, shelter repairs, emergency energy solutions and cash. The plan prioritizes households in front-line and collective sites, where freezing temperatures could turn already dire conditions into deadly ones. We urge Member States to act now so that emergency supplies are in place before winter hits and conditions make it far harder to reach those in need. Allow me to close with three urgent messages to the Council. First, civilians and civilian objects must be protected. The scale of civilian death and injury and the destruction of homes, schools, hospitals and displacement centres must stop. Disproportionate and other indiscriminate attacks are strictly prohibited. Secondly, humanitarian access must be ensured. All parties must facilitate safe, rapid and unimpeded access to civilians in need, wherever they are. The Council and all Member States must exert their influence to ensure civilians are protected and humanitarians can reach those in need. Thirdly, Council members must support the response. Ukrainians cannot afford delays or donor fatigue. Every contribution counts. This war continues to inflict suffering on a staggering scale. The trauma is daily, the destruction is widespread, and the resilience of civilians is being pushed to its limits. Nevertheless, our commitment to assist them must not waver.

I thank Assistant Secretary-General Msuya for her briefing. I shall now give the floor to those members of the Council who wish to make statements.

I would like to thank Assistant Secretary-General Msuya and Assistant Secretary-General Jenča for their insight and contribution to today’s discussion, and I welcome the representative of Ukraine to the Chamber. Today’s briefings painted a comprehensive picture of the latest developments on the ground, and the picture is grim. Civilian casualties are on the rise, and homes, schools and hospitals continue to be destroyed. To top it all, there is still no end in sight to all the death and suffering. Since the beginning of the year, Russia has been escalating its aggression. By March, Russia was launching more than 1,000 drones and missiles per week, terrorizing Ukrainians in their homes and shelters night after night. This month, the attacks have been particularly destructive. They culminated on 9 July, when Russia launched its largest ever aerial attack, using more than 700 drones and missiles. This vividly illustrates the accelerating pace of the escalation. This month alone, Russia has launched more than 5,000 drones and missiles. The ramped-up aerial attacks have a devastating impact on the civilian population, as we heard. As the briefers pointed out, the numbers of civilians killed or injured rose sharply in the first half of 2025. In fact, June was the deadliest month for Ukrainian civilians in three years. In addition to all this, every day, civilians across Ukraine are exposed to arbitrary detentions, torture, executions and sexual violence. These acts are an obvious violation of international humanitarian law. Slovenia condemns the aggression and the latest escalatory steps. Slovenia welcomes all diplomatic efforts towards a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, including the latest meeting between the two countries, held on Wednesday. We welcome the agreement on the prisoner-of-war exchange in that regard. However, the outcomes of both previous and recent talks remain insufficient. Instead of genuine peace talks, we are witnessing a surge in drone production. Instead of respect for We are in desperate need of a change of pace. We need action to prevent further civilian deaths and finally make a decisive step on the path to peace, as the Council implored in February. For months, we have listened to pleas from members of the Council for a ceasefire, to little avail. Enough time has passed. The Council must act. We need a ceasefire resolution.

I would like to thank Assistant Secretary-General Jenča and Assistant Secretary-General Msuya for their briefings. We are once again gathered in the Chamber to address Russia’s ongoing illegal war of aggression against Ukraine — a war that continues to escalate in intensity as the Russian Federation persists in its aggression against its sovereign neighbour with increased ferocity. Allow me to make three key points. First, in recent weeks, we have witnessed the most severe attacks against civilians across Ukraine in more than three years. A relentless and sustained Russian blitz of drones, missiles and bombs has inflicted death, destruction and despair. Kyiv has been subjected to intense overnight missile and drone attacks. Since then, several other regions, including Dnipro, Kharkiv, Kherson, Odesa, Sumy and Vinnytsia, also came under heavy attack. Deliberate assaults continue to be launched against civilian targets, from residential blocks and hospitals to shopping centres and other critical infrastructure. Nowhere is safe for Ukraine’s civilians. In the past week alone, at least 20 civilians have been killed and more than 100 others injured, including several children. Russia’s claim that its armed forces only attack military targets is nothing more than a distortion of the truth. The reality on the ground tells a different story, as we also just heard from Assistant Secretary-General Msuya. That is in clear violation of international humanitarian law and constitutes callous disregard for civilians. Secondly, Russia’s disregard for international law is having an outsized impact on children, who suffer some of the gravest consequences. For three consecutive years, the Russian armed forces have been listed in the annex of the Secretary-General’s annual report on children and armed conflict for committing grave violations against Ukrainian children. From the most recent report (S/2025/247), we learned that Russia’s actions in the past year have reached new levels of brutality. In addition to the unlawful abduction of thousands of Ukrainian children, Russian forces killed and maimed 671 children, according to the report. They also attacked more than 500 schools and more than 300 hospitals. That marks a 60 per cent increase in child casualties and a staggering 150 per cent increase in attacks on schools and hospitals compared to 2023. We recall that civilian objects are protected under international humanitarian law and must not be targeted. Denmark fully supports the Secretary- General’s call for Russia to immediately cease all violations against children. We urge Russia to take concrete steps to prevent further violations by developing and implementing a joint action plan with the United Nations. Thirdly, Russia’s senseless full-scale aggression continues in its fourth year. It must come to an end. For months, Ukraine has been ready to agree to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire. We call on Russia to accept this offer without any delay. Such a response would reflect a genuine commitment to peace. While we welcome the agreement on new exchanges of prisoners of war reached in Istanbul this week, we cannot ignore that the Kremlin continues to pursue its illegal and brutal full-scale invasion of Ukraine. This week, Russia has continued to destroy In conclusion, while Russia’s attacks intensify, we increase our support for Ukraine. We reiterate our call for a just, sustainable and lasting peace in line with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. We reaffirm the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of Ukraine. Denmark will continue to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes until the Ukrainians can once again live in peace and freedom in their own country.

First, I thank Assistant Secretary- General Miroslav Jenča and Assistant Secretary-General Joyce Msuya for their briefings, which remind us of the gravity of the situation. A week ago, the Ukrainian President reiterated his readiness to engage in direct peace talks with the Russian President. What was Russia’s response? It responded with massive strikes on Ukrainian cities, very far from the front lines, on the night of 20 to 21 July. Our Minister, Mr. Jean-Noël Barrot, arrived in Kyiv a few hours later to reiterate our determination to increase pressure on Russia and give Ukraine the means to defend itself. That is what we are doing, together with the European Union. By systematically attacking civilian targets and infrastructure essential for daily life, Russia is trying to sow fear and division in Ukraine. Having been unable to break through the front lines for more than three years now, it is trying to break through the rear guard. Russia must understand that this strategy of massive and systematic violations of international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions is not only illegal but also useless. Russia will not succeed in sapping the morale of the Ukrainian people, whose resilience and courage France salutes. Russia is also systematically targeting energy infrastructure and has no qualms about jeopardizing nuclear security and safety. In Chornobyl, our Minister was able to see the considerable damage caused by a Russian Shahed drone in February, which pierced the confinement sarcophagus used to prevent the release of radioactive material. In Istanbul two days ago, Ukraine reiterated, as it has been doing for five months, its readiness to institute an immediate and unconditional ceasefire. Russia again refused, repeating the maximalist demands set out in the memorandum that it had transmitted to Ukraine on 2 June. Russia cannot demand the capitulation of Ukraine as a condition for ending the fighting. If it is to live up to its responsibility, the Council cannot make do with lamenting the suffering of civilians and calling for peace talks. First, the Council must call things by their name and point to the basic facts of the conflict. In response to Ukrainians’ aspirations for freedom and democracy, it was Russia that invaded Ukraine twice — in 2014 and 2022— in flagrant violation of the Charter. Secondly, it must condemn the violations of international humanitarian and human rights law committed by Russia and call on it to end them. Indiscriminate attacks against civilians are war crimes. Thirdly, it must address its calls for an end to the fighting to Russia. It is Russia that can immediately end this war of aggression and agree to a ceasefire. Fourthly, it must persistently underscore that if peace is to be lasting, it must be consistent with international law. A negotiation will succeed only if Russia agrees to it in good faith and resolves to respect the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, whose future security must be guaranteed. For the time being, we must, as a matter of urgency, come together to demand a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire. Resolution 2774 (2025), which Russia voted in favour of, calls for a swift end to the conflict. Let us ensure compliance with it. Since the beginning of this war three and a half years ago, the collective voice of the international community has repeatedly condemned Russia’s violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and has been calling on Russia to fully respect international law, the Charter of the United Nations and the relevant General Assembly resolutions. Those calls were strengthened with renewed conviction since the launch of the United States-led peace initiative. Sadly, as we have just heard from our briefers, the war is not ending. On the contrary, for yet another month, Russian forces have been attacking the cities of Ukraine, causing death and destruction. June has been the single deadliest month for Ukrainian civilians since at least May 2022, with the number of missiles and loitering munitions launched by Russia into Ukraine increasing tenfold compared to June 2024. Once more, the vulnerable — children, women and elderly persons — are being disproportionately affected, with 100 casualties among children alone. This trend has continued in July. The attacks have, inter alia, targeted infrastructure and disrupted the power supply to the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant for the first time since December 2023, further endangering nuclear safety. We note with extreme concern that, according to the World Health Organization, nearly 40 per cent of all attacks against healthcare facilities worldwide this year took place in Ukraine, causing casualties among medical personnel and patients. We are likewise concerned about reports on the use of chemical weapons on the battlefield. Greece joins the Secretary- General in his strong condemnation of the latest severe attacks by Russia against the civilian population and infrastructure in Ukraine, and we also condemn any attacks against civilians, which constitute blatant violations of international law, including humanitarian and human rights law. This year’s annual report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict (S/2025/247) verified a 105 per cent increase in grave violations against the children of Ukraine, identifying, for the third consecutive year, the Russian armed forces and affiliated armed groups as responsible for those violations. These findings are compounded by this year’s recently released report by the Council of Europe on the human rights situation in the territories of Ukraine temporarily occupied by Russia, which demonstrates that Russia’s war of aggression has continued to lead to immense human suffering. Ensuring accountability is both a prerequisite for peace and a deterrent for further war. On that front, Greece welcomes the 9 July ruling of the European Court of Human Rights, in which the Court held Russia unanimously accountable for flagrant and widespread violations of at least 10 fundamental human rights in eastern Ukraine between 2014 and 2022. Greece also welcomes the signing of the agreement between the Council of Europe and Ukraine for the establishment of a special tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine. We have long advocated for peace, which is long overdue. We welcome the three rounds of direct bilateral talks and the agreements on the exchange of prisoners, including the most recent one on 23 July. However, we regret that peace efforts have not produced any other tangible results and eventually stalled. We reiterate that no peace effort can have any substantial results if hostilities continue. Therefore, it is imperative that any peace efforts be approached in good faith, starting with an agreement on an immediate and unconditional ceasefire as the first step towards a comprehensive, just and lasting peace, in line with international law and the

At the outset, I also would like to thank Assistant Secretary-General Jenča and Assistant Secretary-General Msuya for their informative briefings and welcome the participation of Ukraine in today’s meeting. As the war in Ukraine stretches beyond 1,250 days, the human, moral, economic and geopolitical costs of this aggression continue to mount. Contrary to the hopes of many who yearn to escape from this dark tunnel, Russia is intensifying its relentless attacks, now deploying hundreds of deadly drones and missiles daily. Indeed, June marked the highest monthly civilian casualty toll in three years, with 232 killed and 1,343 wounded. The humanitarian situation in Ukraine continues to deteriorate, and civilian suffering is deepening. We reiterate that such large-scale and indiscriminate attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure constitute clear violations of international humanitarian law. The Republic of Korea once again strongly calls for a full, immediate and unconditional cessation of hostilities to prevent further civilian casualties. In this regard, we support the recent call by the United States for a long-overdue ceasefire to be achieved within 50 days. And we urge Russia to respond to that call — one that has been echoed by nearly every other member of the international community. Now more than ever, as the casualties continue to mount and the war shows no signs of abating, the urgency of a ceasefire is undeniable. We have already witnessed the concrete benefits of such a ceasefire during another major ongoing conflict. Although the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire today, earlier this year, during the fleeting ceasefire in Gaza, humanitarian conditions on the ground markedly improved. Hundreds of aid trucks were able to enter Gaza, delivering much-needed food, medicine and other humanitarian supplies to suffering Palestinians. This clearly demonstrates that an immediate halt to hostilities is not merely symbolic; it is a vital step towards alleviating civilian suffering and creating the necessary space for diplomacy. On another front, we also take note of the third round of talks recently held between Ukraine and Russia in Istanbul to seek an end to the conflict and bring about sustainable peace. We do not expect a miraculous breakthrough from just a few meetings. However, we do hope for the restoration of normalcy for the innocent civilians, who have endured more than three years of immense hardship. They need a respite from the terror of nightly drone swarms, which now number in the hundreds each day. We believe that the realistic path to ending this war and achieving lasting peace begins with a prompt ceasefire agreement, followed by sustained negotiations supported by confidence-building measures, such as prisoner exchanges and the return of fallen soldiers. These efforts must not be used to buy time to pursue destructive or territorial ambitions but must instead reflect genuine political will to end this war. A major obstacle to achieving these goals lies in the ongoing military cooperation between Russia and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, despite repeated condemnations from the international community. This illicit collaboration has been prolonging the war in Ukraine by enabling the large-scale transfer of ammunition, artillery and missiles from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to Russia and the deployment of North Korean troops, in a flagrant violation of the Charter of the United Nations and the relevant Security Council resolutions. Moreover, such cooperation poses grave risks to the security of the Republic of Korea and to regional stability. Potential military assistance and technological transfers from Russia to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea represent a serious and growing threat to the In conclusion, the international community can no longer afford to stand idly by while this senseless war continues. That is why we must come together and raise a united voice to demand an immediate ceasefire and pursue a just and lasting peace. We sincerely hope that those who initiated this war will heed the principled call of the international community. Dame Barbara Woodward (United Kingdom): I would like to thank Assistant Secretary-General Jenča and Assistant Secretary-General Msuya for their informative briefings today. The world has rallied around President Trump’s call for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire. Ukraine has agreed. And we echo that call again today. Yet week after week, night after night, we see the number of Russian assaults grow. June was the deadliest month yet, and July is on track to be even deadlier. This makes a mockery of the diplomacy that Russia claims to support. And the consequences are even more devastating for the people of Ukraine. Across five nights, from 18 to 23 July, Russia launched more than 940 drones and 59 missiles at Ukrainian cities, killing 20 civilians and injuring a further 216. Just days before, a record-breaking 728 long-range drones were launched on Ukraine in a single day. Since the start of the invasion, more than 13,500 civilians have been killed, and more than 34,000 have been injured. This includes more than 200 children killed or injured since March alone. We cannot allow ourselves to become desensitized to these figures. Behind each Russian strike there is a person, a family, a community whose lives have been torn apart by Russia’s brutal military invasion. The Shygyds are one such family. On 5 June, as a Ukrainian firefighter arrived at the scene of a Russian attack on Chernihiv, he discovered that his wife, his daughter and his grandson had all been killed. His grandson was only 1 year old. Three generations were lost to cold-blooded Russian brutality in just one night. This is not an isolated incident. Families like the Shygyds are being torn apart across Ukraine and have been since February 2022. Russia has a clear and unqualified obligation to uphold the Charter of the United Nations. Russia also has an obligation to respect the Geneva Conventions and the protection of civilians under international humanitarian law. There is simply no justification for brutal aggression like this. The reality is clear: Ukraine, a country illegally invaded by Russia, continues to show its commitment to peace. But President Putin prefers war. He is shunning diplomatic efforts made in good faith to bring an end to this horror, a horror of his own making. There is no ambiguity about what needs to come next. It is time for Russia to stop prevaricating and agree to an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, as the first step towards a just and lasting peace.

I thank you, Mr. President, for convening today’s meeting. I would also like to thank Assistant Secretaries-General Jenča and Msuya for the updates provided and for their work. In the 33 days that have elapsed since our last meeting on this topic (see S/PV.9940), the situation on the ground has gotten considerably worse. The continuation of intense fighting in several regions and the escalated attacks on civilian infrastructure continue to devastate civilian lives and drive displacement in Ukraine. Meanwhile, nuclear safety and security remain under threat, with the International Atomic Energy Agency reporting yesterday that its team at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant continues to hear shelling, explosions and gunfire almost every day. Earlier We have been consistent in reaffirming full respect for the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. Likewise, we have also been consistent in calling for a peaceful end to this war. We welcome the talks that have taken place in Istanbul and join fellow Council members in welcoming the recent agreement for another round of exchanges of prisoners of war. Nevertheless, we have noted that these periods of progress continue to be interrupted by increased attacks and heightened rhetoric. We urge the parties to ensure that progress is sustained by prioritizing the protection of civilians, fulfilling their international legal obligations and, ultimately, agreeing to end this war peacefully and definitively. Guyana believes that many opportunities have been missed since the adoption of resolution 2774 (2025) five months ago, a resolution that, while not perfect, provided the first glimmer of hope since this conflict erupted. Five months on, it appears as if the main obstacles standing in the way of peace are the absence of firm political will and an unwillingness to compromise and find common ground. Meanwhile, the civilian death toll continues to mount, and many more lives are devastated and put on pause. We call on the parties to engage in good faith and to bring an end to the suffering of the millions of men, women and children. This includes those displaced from their homes and mourning the loss of loved ones in both Ukraine and Russia. Guyana further reiterates its call for the Russian Federation to immediately withdraw its military forces from the internationally recognized territory of Ukraine and to comply with its obligation under international humanitarian law to facilitate unhindered humanitarian access to those in need in the temporarily occupied territories. It may be tempting, I am sure, to imagine that one party will emerge victorious from this conflict. However, with nearly 50,000 civilian casualties reported to date and an unprecedented humanitarian crisis emerging, there will be no winners in this war. While the buildings damaged can be rebuilt, the lives lost cannot be resuscitated, nor the injuries erased. But one thing remains clear — a call for peace is always relevant and the choice of peace is never too late. The time to answer that call and to choose peace is now.

I thank Assistant Secretary-General Miroslav Jenča and Assistant Secretary-General Joyce Msuya for their briefings. I welcome the representative of Ukraine. More than 100 days have now passed since the Council adopted a resolution imploring a swift end to the war and urging a lasting peace between the Russian Federation and Ukraine. Since then, there have been some positive developments. Resolution 2774 (2025) paved the way for technical talks in Saudi Arabia and bilateral talks in Istanbul, resulting in the return of thousands of prisoners of war. But the progress we have seen has fallen far short of what is needed. Ignoring the Council’s call for lasting peace in resolution 2774 (2025), Russia has continued to kill Ukrainian civilians. Russian drones and missiles have struck schools, playgrounds, apartment buildings and nursing homes. Russia has deployed thousands of Democratic People’s Republic of Korea troops to its front lines and sent The war, killing and destruction must end. As President Trump has repeatedly stated, there is no military solution to this conflict. On 14 July, the President of the United States of America put Russian President Putin on notice to agree to a peace deal within 50 days. If Russia does not agree within that time frame to stop the attacks, the United States is prepared to take further measures. In addition, we again urge all countries, including China, to stop exports to Russia of dual-use goods that contribute to Russia’s war industrial base and enable its drone and missile attacks against Ukraine. Beijing’s claim to have implemented strong export controls on dual-use goods falls apart in the face of the daily recovery of Chinese-produced components in the drones, weapons and vehicles that Russia uses against Ukraine. Now is the time for all United Nations Member States to do our part to bring this war to an end.

I wish to express my appreciation to Assistant Secretaries-General Jenča and Msuya for their briefings. My delegation remains gravely concerned by the continued deterioration of the humanitarian and security situation in Ukraine. The latest developments only reinforce the urgency and the complexity of the crisis before us. 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. The protection of civilians and critical infrastructure are obligations enshrined under international law. We reiterate that all parties to the conflict must respect and uphold these principles without exception. Secondly, we remain convinced that there can be no military solution to this conflict. Dialogue and diplomacy are the sole means to bring an end to this long- standing conflict and achieve sustainable peace. Continued hostilities serve only to prolong suffering and further diminish prospects for a sustainable peace. Diplomatic channels must remain open. In that context, we welcome the ongoing discussions in Istanbul between the Russian Federation and Ukraine concerning the exchange of prisoners of war. While these negotiations are not without challenges, they represent a constructive step on the humanitarian track. Progress, even if incremental, on such issues can pave the way for broader engagement and contribute to building the trust necessary for peace. Thirdly, we emphasize the important role of the international community in supporting diplomatic initiatives and fostering conditions conducive to a peaceful settlement. Any durable resolution will require compromise, confidence-building measures and a genuine commitment to dialogue. We reiterate our call on all parties to exercise restraint, recommit to diplomatic efforts and work towards an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire. In conclusion, our delegation reaffirms its unwavering support for all efforts aimed at addressing the underlying 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 founded upon peace, security and dignity. We welcome the convening of this briefing and the timely participation of Assistant Secretary-General Jenča and Assistant Secretary-General Msuya, who provided us with detailed information on the humanitarian and security situation in Ukraine. Panama remains deeply concerned about the prolonged the war in Ukraine. It is alarming that this conflict, with its devastating humanitarian consequences, has become a constant on our agenda. We must not allow violence to lose its capacity to shock us, and neither must we let the normalization of suffering prevail over our collective responsibility. As in any conflict, those most affected are those who bear the least responsibility, namely, civilians, who only want to live in peace. That reality forces us to ask ourselves: have we really learned from the tragedies that marked the twentieth century? Attacks on schools, hospitals, vital infrastructure and an increasingly vulnerable population, physically and emotionally exhausted — all that cannot, and must not, be normalized. The detailed briefings provided by Mr. Jenča and Ms. Msuya described, with figures that speak for themselves, the regrettable effect of the reciprocal attacks, the tragic individual and collective toll of military and civilian victims, human displacement, the deterioration of the humanitarian situation and the rising cost of the reconstruction of Ukraine, which are all sad consequences of a conflict that, instead of winding down, persists without any prospect of a solution. Little attention is given to the combatants who have died, but the available reports suggest that approximately 950,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or been wounded and there have been 400,000 Ukrainian casualties since the beginning of the conflict. Every day that we allow to go by without taking action deepens the collective trauma and undermines the very foundations of the social contract. We cannot and must not allow fear and hopelessness to replace security and dignity. We must urgently redouble diplomatic and humanitarian efforts to protect those who can no longer protect themselves, in accordance with our obligations under the Geneva Conventions. We are meeting here in this Chamber born out of the spirit of 1945 precisely to prevent situations like these from happening again. However, the figures presented to us month after month challenge that founding commitment. We are particularly concerned about nuclear security. At the beginning of the month, an attack completely shut down the Zaporizhzhya plant. On 13 July, the International Atomic Energy Agency team reported small arms fire near the plant, in addition to incidents with drones in its surroundings. As Director General Rafael Grossi warned, the situation around the plant is increasingly delicate, and any incident could have catastrophic consequences. Panama echoes the words of Secretary-General António Guterres, of 5 June (see SG/SM/22715), when he condemned large-scale missile and drone attacks. The continued attacks seem to be one of the main characteristics of the conflict and represent a direct threat to regional and global stability. Panama reiterates that a just and lasting peace in Ukraine requires full respect for its sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence, in accordance with the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. We call on the parties to immediately cease hostilities and to comply with their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law. In February, a Council resolution opened a window of opportunity to a negotiated solution (resolution 2774 (2025)). Unfortunately, that opportunity was squandered. In that regard, we encourage the parties to continue direct talks, such as the ones held this week in Istanbul, which reached a new agreement for the exchange of prisoners of war. We also reiterate that only through dialogue, diplomacy and respect for those principles

I thank you, Mr. President, for convening this important meeting at the request of Slovenia, Denmark, France, Greece, the Republic of Korea and the United Kingdom. I also thank Assistant Secretary-General Miroslav Jenča and Assistant Secretary-General Joyce Msuya for their comprehensive and sobering briefings. We welcome the participation of the representative of Ukraine in today’s meeting. The end of the Ukraine conflict remains a complex but not insurmountable objective. Encouragingly, three rounds of talks in Istanbul between the parties have facilitated the exchange of thousands of prisoners of war and detainees and progress in the return of more than 300 Ukrainian children by the Russian Federation. While a ceasefire agreement remains elusive, such confidence-building measures, alongside the reported intention to establish joint working groups to regularly address political, humanitarian and military dimensions, offer signs of continued engagement through diplomatic channels. In that regard, we wish to make three key points. First, Sierra Leone is deeply concerned about the indiscriminate use of long- range missiles and drones in densely populated areas, resulting in widespread civilian suffering and the destruction of civilian infrastructure. According to the human rights monitoring mission in Ukraine, missile and drone attacks in June 2025 were ten times higher than during the same period last year, causing extensive damage to energy, water, medical and other vital civilian infrastructure. Since the beginning of the year, approximately 6,754 civilians have reportedly lost their lives, including an alarming increase in casualties among children. Reports from UNICEF also indicate that about 70 per cent of children in Ukraine — roughly 3.5 million — are facing severe material deprivation, including a lack of access to food, clothing, heating and education. For more than three years, the lives of these children have been shaped by fear, loss and trauma — a situation that must not be normalized. In that regard, we underscore the urgent need to sustain and strengthen humanitarian assistance to reach the estimated 12.7 million people currently in need across Ukraine. We reiterate that the protection of civilians must be central to all military operations, with strict adherence to the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution, and we call on all parties to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law. Secondly, we urge the parties to the conflict to demonstrate the necessary political will and commit to structured negotiations aimed at achieving a sustainable resolution of the conflict. Building on the progress made in Istanbul, we join others in encouraging high-level political dialogue to address substantive matters for a ceasefire and a lasting peace. We welcome reports of private engagements between the heads of the respective delegations and urge continued negotiations in good faith, with a focus on political and humanitarian priorities. We commend the sustained efforts of the United States of America, European leaders and other partners, in support of a comprehensive ceasefire. In the light of the deep human suffering caused by the conflict, we appeal to the parties to prioritize the well-being of their citizens and to seize the opportunity to bring an end to hostilities. Thirdly and lastly, the international community must begin to prepare for the post-conflict reconstruction and stabilization of Ukraine. The scale of devastation is immense. An estimated 139,000 square kilometres of territory are reportedly contaminated with landmines and explosive remnants of war, posing enduring threats to safety and livelihoods. Short-term financial requirements for budgetary support, reconstruction and humanitarian assistance have been estimated at approximately US$40 billion annually by the Kyiv School of Economics. According to the World Bank Group Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment, conducted in February of this We welcome international coordination mechanisms supporting Ukraine’s recovery, including the Multi-Donor Coordination Platform and the Ukraine Recovery Conference. The guiding principles outlined in the Lugano Declaration  — partnership, reform focus, transparency, democratic participation, inclusivity and sustainability — remain fundamental. We also note with appreciation the increased engagement of the private sector in the recent Recovery Conference, held in Rome, underscoring the crucial link between sustainable development and durable peace. In conclusion, we reaffirm that only a comprehensive ceasefire and peace agreement will enable the Government and people of Ukraine, including more than 10 million displaced persons, to begin the arduous process of recovery, healing and rebuilding. Sierra Leone reiterates its support for all efforts that seek to protect civilians, uphold international humanitarian law and advance a just and lasting peace that respects the sovereignty, territorial integrity and internationally recognized borders of Ukraine, while addressing the legitimate security concerns of all parties to the conflict.

At the outset, I would like to thank Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas, Mr. Miroslav Jenča, and Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator, Ms. Joyce Msuya, for their valuable briefings. Unfortunately, the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine continues, as does the killing of innocent civilians, including women, children and elderly persons. In addition, there are continued heavy losses of property and infrastructure, including vital facilities, which Algeria has cautioned against several times as a flagrant violation of the rules of international law, including international humanitarian law. Despite the positive momentum we have witnessed recently, in the form of long- awaited direct meetings between the two parties, the mindset of confrontation and fighting still dominates on the ground. Unfortunately, the logic of polarization still affects the state of affairs, undermining diplomatic efforts to end this war. This conflict has not only affected the peoples of the region but has also had spillover effects in many regions of the world, especially developing countries, as a result of the fallback effects of this conflict on food and energy markets across the world. Faced with this situation, today, my delegation would like to stress the following points. First, Algeria reiterates its call on the two parties to show poise and restraint, to make the lives and safety of civilians their top priority and to fully abide by the rules of international law, including international humanitarian law, which expressly prohibit the targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure. Secondly, Algeria stresses its firm conviction that the solution will not come through the force of arms or through imposing hegemony, but through favouring the language of constructive and inclusive dialogue and negotiations and the ability of both parties to overcome differences and to find a peaceful solution that will put a definitive end to hostilities and end the war. In this regard, Algeria calls on the parties to focus their efforts on the ongoing negotiation path and to draw inspiration from the positive results achieved so far, through the exchange of prisoners, to reach a just and lasting peaceful solution based on the purposes and principles of the Thirdly, Algeria renews its call on the international community to redouble its diplomatic efforts to create an atmosphere conducive to negotiations that brings positions closer together, away from polarization and narrow geopolitical calculations. Lastly, Algeria renews its firm commitment to support any international efforts aimed at finding a peaceful political solution that satisfies both parties, putting an end to this war and returning the entire region to safety.

I thank Assistant Secretary-General Miroslav Jenča and Assistant Secretary-General Joyce Msuya for their briefings. We note that Russia and Ukraine have recently continued to implement the consensus reached in previous negotiations, advancing the exchange of prisoners of war and the remains of fallen soldiers. The two sides also held a third round of direct talks a few days ago, in which they reached a new consensus on humanitarian issues, including the further exchange of prisoners of war. China welcomes these positive developments and calls on the parties to maintain the momentum of dialogue, continue to build consensus and enhance mutual trust, with a view to reaching a comprehensive, lasting and binding peace agreement. We also note that Russia and Ukraine have recently conducted large-scale drone and missile strikes against each other, resulting in heavy civilian casualties and damage to infrastructure. China is deeply concerned and saddened by this and once again urges the parties to exercise maximum restraint, effectively abide by international humanitarian law and refrain from attacking civilians and civilian infrastructure under any circumstances. It is imperative that the two sides make joint efforts to promptly de-escalate on the battlefield. We have also noted that Russia and Ukraine have recently issued statements in respect of each other on how to restore peace in Europe and achieve a political solution to the crisis. The main players in the international community have also repeatedly sent positive signals about dialogue, negotiation and ceasefire efforts and continue to engage in diplomatic efforts for peace talks. China welcomes all efforts towards peace and encourages both Russia and Ukraine to continue to show political will and flexibility, while the international community should call for, build a consensus on, and strive for, peace. All parties should engage in joint efforts to promote a political solution to the crisis. China has consistently maintained an objective and impartial stance on the issue of Ukraine and has been committed to advocating for peace talks and a political solution. We have actively engaged in diplomatic mediation in accordance with the four “shoulds” proposed by President Xi Jinping, while maintaining effective communication with both Russia and Ukraine. Together with Brazil and other countries in the global South, we established the Group of Friends for Peace on the Ukraine Crisis in order to foster greater synergy for a ceasefire and the realization of peace. China will, as always, play a constructive role in the political settlement of the crisis. I would like to respond to the statement made by the United States representative earlier. As we have pointed out on numerous occasions in the Council, China is neither the instigator of, nor a party to, the Ukraine crisis. China has never provided lethal weapons to either side in the conflict and has always strictly controlled the export of dual-use materials, including drones. We urge the United States to stop shifting the blame for, and sowing discord on, the Ukraine issue and to instead play a more constructive role by promoting a ceasefire and peace talks. What is more, I would like to take this opportunity to make some additional points. On Tuesday, when the Council held an open debate on the peaceful settlement

I honestly must confess that when we learned about our Western colleagues’ request for today’s meeting on Ukraine, a fleeting thought came to mind: that it was prompted by the poignant letter from a group of Ukrainian political prisoners, which was addressed to the President of the Security Council and we all had received in early July. Let me recall that it was signed by such well-known politicians, human rights activists, civil servants and members of Parliament — now prisoners of the Zelenskyy regime — as Olena Berezhna, Vyacheslav Bohuslayev, Vitalii Hordyna, Artem Dmytruk, Oleksandr Dubinsky, Oleh Kulinich, Myroslav Oleshko, Oleksandr Oleinykov and Yurii Riabukha. Council members all had the opportunity to read it and see for themselves that political prisoners in Ukraine number in the thousands. Constitutional standards and the law are not being followed. People are being put behind bars “for calling for peace and elections, for opposing war between Slavic nations, for their religious and political beliefs, for criticizing forced mobilization, for expressing civic positions”. Ukrainian political prisoners are appealing to the Security Council to seek the lifting of “all unlawful restrictive sanctions imposed […] since the beginning of the war” on Ukrainian citizens, “as they represent unconstitutional and repressive tools of political persecution”. This, in essence, is not only a letter, but a cri de coeur. At the time, we did not draw the Council’s attention to the document so as not to give our enemies a pretext for trying to pass it off as Russian propaganda, as they always do in such cases. It suffices to recall the case of American citizen Gonzalo Lira, who was tortured to death in January 2024 in the dungeons of the Ukrainian Security Service and whose revelations about human rights were also dismissed by the Kyiv regime as Russian propaganda. As of 2014, the authorities themselves and their sponsors have viewed any criticism of the Ukrainian authorities as Russian propaganda. This unsophisticated logic persists to this day. The forced conscription, to which the human rights activists refer in the letter, is, according to the Kyiv clique, also “a Kremlin fabrication”. However, all Ukrainians know that Zelenskyy’s draft officers, or the territorial centres for recruitment, as they are called in Ukraine, literally abduct people in broad daylight off the streets and from shopping centres, pharmacies and sports clubs. In doing so, they use the most brutal and often the most inhumane methods. The authorities deny the hundreds, if not thousands, of cases of killing or maiming of conscripts, about which all Ukrainians are talking. The plethora of videos on social media in which men are plucked from the streets, torn from their families, brutally beaten and pushed into buses, often leaving their young children alone on the street, are cynically referred to by Ukrainian officials as “Moscow film studio productions”. If we are to believe the Recently, however, this system of collective lies and mutual cover-ups has faltered. During a routine raid, staff of one of the territorial centres for recruitment in Zakarpattia seriously injured 45-year-old József Sebestyén, an ethnic Hungarian and citizen of both Ukraine and Hungary. As a result, he was admitted to hospital, where he died a few weeks later. And that was despite the fact that József Sebestyén was initially considered unfit for conscription on health grounds. There are hundreds of such cases involving Ukrainians, which have become the norm in the “Zelenskyy concentration camp”, as Ukrainians themselves have long been calling their country. But for our Western colleagues this topic is taboo. All European and American human rights activists, who have been instructed to speak well of Ukraine or not at all, are keeping silent about this lawlessness. No one outside the country would have ever heard of the unfortunate József Sebestyén, but, much to the chagrin of Zelenskyy and his sponsors, he happened to be Hungarian. As a result, the Hungarian Ministry for Foreign Affairs strongly protested at the murder of its citizen and demanded an official explanation. In response, the Ukrainian authorities claimed that the conscript had attempted to escape and had died in hospital of natural causes. Of course, as in all such cases, despite the obvious facts, the Ukrainian side refused to take any responsibility for the man’s death. That lie, of course, did not satisfy Budapest, and the scandal continues to this day. It is good that Hungary has taken a principled position, by being unwilling — unlike the overwhelming majority of other European Union countries — to turn a blind eye to the dictatorship that has established itself in Ukraine. But who will stand up for the other unfortunate Ukrainians who have been forcibly conscripted and whom the regime of the arrogant Kyiv princeling is casting into the meat grinder against their will to serve Western geopolitical interests? Who, for example, will stand up for the elderly woman from the town of Merefa in the Kharkiv region, who recently tried to prevent draft officers from taking away her son? With her last ounce of strength, she clung to the hood of the minibus, which was transporting conscripts, and prevented it from leaving, but the draft officers shoved her aside, causing her to lose consciousness and collapse in the road. Footage of that abuse of a mother shook the whole of Ukraine. Try to guess the response of Zelenskyy’s henchmen. That is right: it was all portrayed as “Russian propaganda”. Ukrainians are now accustomed to the fact that it is impossible to secure justice and punish the draft officers in their country who are violating the law, including the Constitution. In the rare cases when criminal proceedings are instituted against draft officers for acting ultra vires, the State Bureau of Investigation, which conducts pre-trial investigations, simply fails to find evidence of a crime. In these circumstances, what else can ordinary people, who have long refused to go to war, do? Increasingly, we are seeing them blocking off roads and settlements, so that military enlistment officers, deemed “manhunters”, simply cannot reach them. Needless to say, Ukrainians absolutely hate those officers, who are popularly called polizei — the term used to refer to the fascist punishers during the occupation of Ukraine in the Second World War. People’s hatred and despair have reached the point that they are actively publishing and sending the coordinates of enlistment offices to the Russian military and rejoicing when they are attacked. That is what the former comedian who imagined himself to be the dictator of all Ukraine has achieved. When preparing for today’s meeting, we were expecting the Western cheerleaders of Ukraine to finally mention the growing persecution of canonical Orthodox Christians. That is especially because, on 2 July, the Ukrainian President issued a decree revoking the Ukrainian citizenship of Metropolitan Onufriy, the head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, on the grounds that, according to some pseudo- “maintaining links with the Moscow Patriarchate and knowingly opposing the canonical independence of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church from the Moscow Patriarchate, representatives of which are openly supporting the Russian aggression against Ukraine”. That is happening in a country where freedom of religion and the separation of church and State are enshrined in the Constitution. In general, the medieval inquisition could have learned a lot from the Zelenskyy regime when it comes to persecuting dissent and “witch hunts”. As for our Western colleagues, they avert their eyes in shame when we point out what is being done by the authorities they have cultivated in Ukraine. Today of course, not a single word was uttered about the outrageous situation I just mentioned. What our Western colleagues have also stayed silent about today is yet another aspect of the “witch hunt” with which the Kyiv princeling has lately become so obsessed. Having learned that anti-corruption agencies independent from the President had gathered compromising information and were about to initiate criminal cases against him and his inner circle, he leveraged his pocket parliament to pass a law that puts those agencies under the sway of the Prosecutor General’s Office, which is accountable to him. Right now, as we speak, his henchmen are busy destroying documents exposing corruption in the highest echelons of power, incriminating the Kyiv usurper and his team, who have embezzled billions of dollars of budget funds and Western aid. After obtaining files containing incriminating evidence, they formally backtracked, supposedly in response to uproar in Ukrainian society and abroad. It is noteworthy that the incriminating evidence concerns precisely those government bodies that were set up under pressure from the West and presented as an antidote to corruption, which explains the criticism coming from European capitals today. However, we have heard nothing about that here. I cannot but mention the recent desecration of the Hill of Glory memorial complex in Lviv, which can only be construed as an affront to the memory of countless victims of fascism and those who fell fighting Nazism and disrespect to the immortal feat of the citizens of the Soviet Union. To advance their self-serving interests, the Ukrainian authorities unconscionably exhumed the remains of 355 Soviet warriors, including heroes of the Soviet Union, who died in the battles to liberate Lviv from German fascists. None of the Western representatives or the Secretariat found the courage to condemn those shameful atrocities committed by Ukrainian neo-Nazis. That is despite the fact that, every year, the General Assembly adopts a resolution on “Combating glorification of Nazism, neo-Nazism and other practices that contribute to fuelling contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance”, which emphasizes that it is inadmissible to destroy monuments and memorials erected in memory of those who fought against Nazism during the Second World War and illegally exhume or transfer the remains of the soldiers. So, why was today’s meeting convened if not to discuss the issues I have just mentioned? As it turns out, once again, it was only to artificially keep the Ukrainian file afloat at the Security Council, especially amid the ongoing carnage and humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, about which our Western colleagues are much less eloquent. The meeting also provides an opportunity for them to once again criticize Russia for methodically and consistently destroying military infrastructure and facilities related to Ukraine’s military capabilities, blowing up warehouses containing Western-supplied ammunition and equipment and targeting sites where Ukrainian military personnel, foreign instructors and mercenaries are concentrated. In a word, Russia is doing everything it should be doing in a war imposed on it by Those colleagues should not waste their time or ours. We destroyed, are destroying and will continue to destroy the military infrastructure of the Kyiv regime as part of the demilitarization of the country, which is one of the objectives of our special military operation. We do not target civilian objects, which are only affected owing to the operation of the Ukrainian air defence systems stationed in residential areas of cities, in violation of the norms of international humanitarian law. Ordinary Ukrainians are well aware of that — it is not Russian strikes that they fear but rather the actions of their own soldiers. They also know that we are not fighting them but rather the Kyiv regime, which has sacrificed the country along with all Ukrainians for the sake of the Western anti-Russian project. The more military supplies are sent to the Kyiv regime, the more we will strike. That is not our choice — we have long and consistently proposed resolving the Ukrainian crisis through diplomacy. But that does not suit other members, who are still willing to continue this war against Russia using Ukraine’s hands, appearing completely unconcerned that there are fewer and fewer Ukrainians left. And that is why some are stubbornly trying to ignore how the utterly corrupt Kyiv regime is seeking to save the skin of Zelenskyy and his posse, putting the future of their country at risk. We will discuss this in detail at a separate meeting that we have requested for 31 July. At that meeting, we suggest focusing on actions that undermine the search for a diplomatic solution to the Ukrainian conflict, including attempts to derail the direct Russian-Ukrainian talks in Istanbul.

I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of Pakistan. I thank Assistant Secretary-General Miroslav Jenča and Assistant Secretary- General Msuya for their briefings. Pakistan remains deeply concerned about the continuing hostilities and devastating consequences of this conflict, particularly its humanitarian dimensions. Into its fourth year now, the conflict has exacted a harrowing human cost, with millions displaced, lives and livelihoods shattered and widespread civilian infrastructure damage. Its protracted nature has vividly laid out that war spares no one, and its effects threaten peace and stability far beyond the region. It is unfortunate that, despite the diplomatic efforts at the start of the year, including resolution 2774 (2024) and multiple limited ceasefire understandings, tangible progress has remained elusive. While prisoner exchanges and talks in Istanbul offer a glimmer of hope, the ongoing violence, death and destruction from relentless attacks have continued to cast a shadow over the nascent and fledgling peace efforts. It is imperative that the echoes for peace be heard. Peace in Ukraine is long overdue. The calls for ending this conflict should not be allowed to be muted by the continued drums of war. In that context, Pakistan reiterates the following urgent imperatives. First, the protection of civilians is a must. International humanitarian law is clear, and it is vital that it be upheld unconditionally. The targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure under any pretext cannot be justified. Secondly, military solutions and continued escalation are akin to pursuing a dead end. Continued attacks and the recent surge in these attacks have only deepened the suffering of people affected by this conflict. Sustainable peace demands de-escalation, ceasefire and an unwavering commitment to dialogue. Thirdly, a peaceful settlement must be our North Star. That is our commitment, expressed in resolution 2788 (2025), adopted earlier this week. Diplomacy is the only Pakistan has been a consistent advocate for peace. From the very outset, we have called for de-escalation and for primacy to be given to dialogue and diplomacy. Only a sincere and meaningful dialogue that addresses the security concerns of all sides, is anchored in the principles of Charter of the United Nations and international law and respects the relevant multilateral agreements can help lead to a peace that is just and enduring. Pakistan stands ready to support all regional and international efforts that pave the way for a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict. I now resume my functions as President of the Council. The representative of the United States has asked for the floor to make a further statement.

I would like to reply to the assertion that the United States made “groundless accusations” and that somehow this was a misuse of the Council. I reject these allegations. The United States has raised pertinent information and, in the case in point today, we noted that materials and components supplied by China are ending up in Russian weapons, weapons which Russia is using to strike Ukraine, killing Ukrainian civilians and destroying Ukrainian infrastructure. If China is sincere in calling for peace, it should stop fuelling Russia’s aggression.

The representative of China has asked for the floor to make a further statement.

I will be very brief. China’s position on Ukraine has been stated repeatedly and can be summarized in one sentence: we call for a ceasefire and the cessation of hostilities, and we work actively to promote peace talks. The international community has witnessed China’s efforts. To the United States of America, I would say that in the face of escalating conflicts and complex international challenges, what the world needs is unity and cooperation, instead of division and confrontation.

I now give the floor to the representative of Ukraine.

I wish to express Ukraine’s sincere appreciation to the presidency of Pakistan for convening today’s meeting. We are also grateful to Assistant Secretary-General Miroslav Jenča and Assistant Secretary-General Joyce Msuya for their insightful briefings. Tragically, since the previous meeting of the Security Council in June (see S/PV.9940), the security situation in Ukraine has not improved. On the contrary, the Russian Federation has intensified its campaign of terror through relentless drone and missile strikes, deliberately targeting civilians across our country. This month, each massive attack by the Russian Federation on Ukrainian civilians and civilian infrastructure has broken previous records for the number of missiles, drones and bombs used, resulting in further civilian casualties and destruction. Ukraine strives to ensure that the world hears the story of every life lost as a result of Russia’s illegal, unprovoked and unjustified war of aggression. Each life is irreplaceable — a profound loss that can never be undone. Allow me to share one of, unfortunately, many such stories. This month, in the village of Pravdyne in Kherson region, a Russian drone strike claimed the life of Dmytro  — a boy just one year and one month old  — as he stayed in his great- We are profoundly grateful to all partners providing air defence systems and other essential security assistance. We urge partners to continue and expand the supply of these vital capabilities, because for millions of Ukrainians, these systems are the difference between life and death. Enhanced military support to Ukraine is vital and is not designed to prolong the war, as the Russian side falsely claims, and will do so next week in this Chamber. On the contrary, this assistance helps to stop Russia’s war of aggression. If the aggressor State does not feel the consequences on its own territory, it will never stop its colonial war. While the Security Council meets every month and discusses the Russian Federation’s war of aggression against Ukraine, Russia gradually continues its efforts to legitimize the temporary occupation of Ukrainian territories through the systematic militarization, indoctrination and assimilation of Ukrainian children and youth. Under the guise of educational and so-called patriotic programmes, Russia enforces a policy of Russification, implements its nationalist agenda, integrates local youth into its military structures and cultivates loyalty to the Kremlin’s regime — all while attempting to erase Ukrainian identity. A key component of this policy is the involvement of children and adolescents in paramilitary organizations. Through State-run movements such as Yunarmiya — Young Army — and the Movement of the First, the Russian Federation is building a mobilization reserve to sustain its war of aggression not only against Ukraine, but also against what it labels the collective West and other perceived adversaries. These actions constitute clear violations of Russia’s obligations as the occupying Power under international humanitarian law and international human rights law, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; and the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Russia is exploiting education and leisure — spaces meant for development and growth  — to indoctrinate and militarize children whose world views are still forming. They are being turned into tools of war propaganda, within a system disturbingly reminiscent of North Korea. We call on the international community to confront these egregious violations and to hold the Russian Federation accountable for its systematic attempts to normalize the war of aggression, the temporary occupation of the territory of Ukraine and the instrumentalization of children in its war efforts. The Russian Federation continues to pursue criminal policies aimed at forcibly altering the demographic composition of Ukraine’s temporarily occupied territories. Under the pretence of mortgage and housing assistance, Russia is actively resettling its own citizens in these areas — a strategy designed to entrench its temporary occupation of the territory of Ukraine and undermine the rights of the local population. Through a preferential mortgage programme, the Kremlin has created favourable conditions for Russian citizens — including military personnel, educators, families with young children and workers in the cultural and social sectors — to purchase property in the temporarily occupied regions. This programme is available exclusively to Russian citizens, effectively excluding Ukrainians and using housing as a coercive tool to pressure them into accepting so-called Russian passports. Furthermore, the Kremlin has drafted legislation setting out procedures for the administrative — that is, forced — expulsion of so-called foreigners residing in the There must be no normalization of aggression through the normalization of relations with the aggressor State  — the Russian Federation  — for as long as it continues to pursue imperialistic ambitions. Council members have just witnessed how maniacal Russia is about Ukraine. Nor can there be a normalization of Russia’s perception as an influential Power. Influence cannot be divorced from responsibility. As the renowned Ukrainian philosopher Hryhoriy Skovoroda wrote back in the eighteenth century, “It is commendable not to be liked by bad people”. In the case of the Russian Federation, we say, it is commendable not to be liked by a rotten State. It has been 136 days since the United States of America put forward a proposal for a full and unconditional ceasefire. Ukraine has accepted it and has been consistently demonstrating readiness for diplomatic engagement. Ukraine has clear political will. We remain open to any format that offers a path towards comprehensive, just and lasting peace for Ukraine. By contrast, the Russian regime continues to show blatant contempt for diplomacy. It consistently rejects credible peace proposals and ignores repeated calls for a full and unconditional ceasefire. Russia could end this war at any moment. Instead, it chooses escalation, launching strikes on peaceful cities and intensifying offensive operations in pursuit of military advantage. Russia also uses peace efforts to spread manipulative narratives. Following a recent negotiation round held in Istanbul on 23 July, its representatives made misleading public claims regarding the initial list of abducted children previously submitted by Ukraine. We must clarify those facts. That initial list of 339 names was submitted by Ukraine as a confidence-building measure. To date, Russia has provided fragmented responses, offering partial information on less than one fifth of the children. There has been no response at all concerning more than 200 children, including those from the Kherson orphanage. Russia mentioned children from the list who had allegedly been returned. In fact, only six children were returned, five of whom were siblings. That was the result of a year-long humanitarian effort mediated by the State of Qatar — a process demonstrating the power of third-party engagement and not Russian goodwill. The Kremlin continues to expand its war of aggression against Ukraine, drawing others into its campaign of terror, including through the use of North Korean troops and Iranian-manufactured weapons. We therefore call on the United States and the international community to intensify coordinated pressure on the regime in Moscow and its military-industrial complex and on those around the world who are supporting and enabling Russia’s efforts in the war of aggression. The time for action is now, and there is no room for delay. The Russian Federation has been extensively and systematically using antipersonnel landmines as a method of warfare against Ukraine’s security and defence forces. When Ukraine signed and ratified the Ottawa Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction, it did so in good faith, relying on security assurances provided by the parties to the Budapest Memorandum. It could not have foreseen that a signatory to that very memorandum — the Russian Federation — would later launch an illegal, unprovoked and unjustified full-scale military invasion of Ukraine. As a result of Just as none of the sovereign and independent Member States of the United Nations would, Ukraine will not accept the temporary occupation by the Russian Federation of any part of its sovereign territory. Ukraine seeks a comprehensive, just and lasting peace — one rooted in the principles of the United Nations Charter and backed by credible, binding and long-term security guarantees. A full, immediate, unconditional and comprehensive ceasefire for at least 30 days remains a critical first step. It is the foundation for halting the war of aggression, restoring confidence and enabling meaningful negotiations. At the most recent meeting in Istanbul, Ukraine clearly advocated for such a ceasefire. We also emphasized the importance of a high-level summit between leaders to lay the groundwork for a durable and comprehensive peace. Ukraine stands ready to convene such a summit and meeting by the end of August. The Security Council has a critical role to play at this juncture by expressing its unequivocal position on the urgent need to terminate hostilities, as a first step towards a comprehensive, just and lasting peace for Ukraine on the basis of the Charter of the United Nations. In that context, we reiterate our call to the Council to adopt, without delay, a resolution demanding an immediate, full and unconditional ceasefire. Ukraine strongly encourages all members of the Council to support and to engage in moving forward this crucial initiative, thereby demonstrating a credible commitment to ending the war of aggression started by the Russian Federation.

I now give the floor to the representative of Poland.

At the outset, I would like to thank you, Mr. President, for convening this meeting and to thank the briefers for their important interventions. As Russia is persistently and brutally continuing to wage its unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine, let me draw the attention of the Council to four critical points. First, we have recently witnessed a significant intensification of Russia’s military campaign. Growing pressure along the front line is being reported, accompanied by intense air raids across the country. The latest renewed long-range aviation activity by Russia close to the Polish-Ukrainian border has prompted Poland to scramble our fighter jets several times to secure our airspace. I would like to draw the Council’s attention to that escalation. More than 24,000 drones have been launched against Ukraine’s cities since the start of this year. In the first half of 2025, Russia killed and injured almost 7,000 Ukrainian civilians — more than 50 per cent higher compared to the same period last year. By the beginning of July, Russia had reportedly enlisted more than 700,000 servicemen into the war — a new, grim record. Secondly, we commend the recent announcement by the United States President Donald Trump, who continues his efforts to bring Russia to the negotiation table for it to engage in good faith negotiations. While Ukraine remains willing to reach a just agreement, Russia’s response remains blatantly predictable, as it continues to mock all endeavours designed to bring about genuine peace. Russian officials have repeated Moscow’s maximalist demands, which have underpinned Russia’s neocolonial war from day one and are built on the fever dream of ruling Ukraine and erasing its independent identity. In Istanbul, once again, we learned that the Kremlin is not interested in peace — a peace that it so endlessly talks about, while continuing to kill, maim and steal others’ land. Fourthly, the Russian war of aggression remains the main threat, not only to the security of Europe and our region but also to the entire international system, which is based on the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and international humanitarian law, as well as to the United Nations system itself. Every day, Russia continues to openly violate the Charter, showing disregard for jointly agreed rules and above all, for human life. Moscow has a strong will to reshape the international law-based world order. This will not happen. Support for Ukrainians is our response to these Russian attempts. Poland strongly believes that a sovereign and independent Ukraine is an indispensable element of a stable world security architecture, as every peace-loving nation has the right to exist and to participate in global cooperation. Therefore, we will continue to stand by Ukraine in order to defend its independence and secure a just and lasting peace based on international law. We are fully convinced that Ukraine is fighting not only for its own freedom but also for the security of all free nations. In conclusion, we firmly appeal once again: it is time for Russia to end this illegal, brutal and unsustainable war. We welcome Ukraine’s interest in genuine negotiations and call on Russia to engage in peace talks and to stop conducting attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. Furthermore, we urgently and persistently call for the return of the kidnapped Ukrainian children.

I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Stavros Lambrinidis, Head of the Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations. Mr. Lambrinidis: I thank you, Mr. President, for convening this meeting, and I thank our briefers for sharing their assessment of the disastrous consequences of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. The past weeks have seen the continuation of two trends. On the one hand, Ukraine has shown a genuine commitment to peace by continuing to call for an immediate, unconditional ceasefire as a first step to ending this war and, on the other, Russia has continued its indiscriminate missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities and towns. Intentionally directing an attack against civilians or civilian objects or causing disproportionate civilian harm is a war crime. Earlier this month, the human rights monitoring mission in Ukraine published its report on the protection of civilians. It concluded that June 2025 saw the highest number of monthly civilian casualties in the past three years, with 232 people killed and 1,343 injured. That is unacceptable. I underline once again the steadfast determination of the European Union (EU) to put an end to Russia’s war of aggression and achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting peace, in line with the decisions of the General Assembly. We, as Europeans, together with Ukraine, have been working tirelessly to that end, and we welcome all efforts in that direction. We have joined Ukraine and international partners, including the United States, in calling for a full, unconditional and immediate ceasefire. This pause in hostilities could serve as a vital step towards Russia could end its war now. It could accept a full and unconditional ceasefire, as Ukraine has. We call on the Security Council to exert maximum pressure for a ceasefire. This would provide space for meaningful talks aimed at ending Russia’s war of aggression and achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace, grounded in the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and international law. We urge Russia to cease its aggression and withdraw all its forces and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine immediately, completely and unconditionally. I remind the Council that Ukraine has an inherent right of self-defence under Article 51 of the Charter. Russia is the aggressor. Ukraine is the party defending itself. There can be no sitting on the fence on this. Furthermore, the EU strongly condemns support by third countries and actors and entities therein, which enables Russia to sustain its war of aggression. The EU condemns the continued military support provided by Iran, Belarus and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. We urge all countries to immediately cease any direct or indirect assistance to Russia in its war of aggression. The European Union underlines the importance of humanitarian relief efforts and confidence-building measures, notably the exchange of prisoners of war, the release of civilians and the return of all those Ukrainian civilians, particularly children, who have been forcibly transferred or deported to Russia and Belarus. We commend the efforts of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and its humanitarian partners in providing assistance to those in need. Full, safe, rapid and unhindered humanitarian access must be facilitated for humanitarian relief to reach all civilians in need, including in areas under temporary Russian occupation. In conclusion, I reaffirm the EU’s unwavering support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. I also cannot but note that the Russian Federation, as it continues, including today, to shed crocodile tears for the oppressed of the world and the Charter of the United Nations, is continuing to pursue with increased relentlessness its illegal war of aggression against Ukraine and Ukrainian civilians. While it is injecting hundreds of billions of dollars into its military to pursue its illegal war in Ukraine, it does not have a penny to offer to alleviate hunger and poverty or promote sustainable development for tens of countries around the world and their citizens, who desperately need it. The hypocrisy and double standards are eye-popping. We implore the Council to use all the powers at its disposal to be able to impose an unconditional and full ceasefire and promote a just, lasting and comprehensive peace, in line with the Charter of the United Nations. We implore it. The European Union, for its part, will continue to support Ukraine for as long as it takes.

I now give the floor to the representative of Latvia.

I have the honour to address the Security Council on behalf of the three Baltic States  — Estonia, Lithuania and my own country, Latvia. We thank the presidency of the Council for convening this meeting, and we commend Assistant Secretary-General Jenča and Assistant Secretary-General Msuya for their comprehensive briefings and continued efforts. The United Nations plays a vital role in Ukraine, delivering life-saving humanitarian aid to those in need and ensuring that the facts of the war are documented with accuracy and impartiality, upholding the principles of human dignity and international accountability. Today I would like to highlight three key messages. Secondly, the path to peace must begin with Russia ceasing its war. We note the Ukraine-Russia meeting held on Wednesday in Istanbul at the initiative of President Zelenskyy. Russia’s usual pattern of response — yet again, record-scale indiscriminate attacks on Ukrainian cities — reveals its true intentions: escalation, not peace. No one wants an end to this war and civilian suffering more than the Ukrainians. We therefore call for international support for a full, unconditional ceasefire, to which Ukraine has already committed, as the first step towards real negotiations. So far, Russia has been utterly insincere in its offers of a ceasefire, showing that it fears peace more than war. It is now up to Russia to demonstrate genuine readiness to engage to end the war. Finally, a just peace in Ukraine must be based on the Charter of the United Nations and international law. Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine is a frontal assault on the principles of the Charter. Russia’s attempt to invoke root causes buys into a false historical narrative and tries to justify Russia’s imperial ambitions and its idea of a multipolar world instead of a multilateral one. The Baltic States reaffirm our full support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. We will never recognize Ukraine’s occupation, either de jure or de facto. Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine is not a regional issue. Its consequences extend far beyond. We have a collective responsibility to uphold the Charter of the United Nations and ensure respect for international law.