4 December 2024
President,
I thank Executive Director Catherine Russell and the other two briefers for their briefings.
The crisis in Ukraine is still dragging on. The fighting on the ground has intensified with the risk of escalation and expansion. Much of the major infrastructure in comfort zones have been damaged to varying degrees. There are a serious lack of supplies and difficulties in ensuring basic public services, including water, heating, and electricity. With the onset of another winter, the local population, especially children and other vulnerable groups, is about to face the double challenge of a hot conflict and a cold winter. The humanitarian situation is worrying. We reiterate our call on the parties to the conflict to strictly comply with international humanitarian law, make every effort to ensure the safety of civilians and civilian infrastructure, earnestly abide by Security Council Resolution 1261, and effectively strengthen the protection of children in armed conflict.
President,
Children are the most innocent victims of armed conflict. To protect and save children from armed conflict, the ultimate way is to eliminate and defuse conflict, so that children can be spared of its scourge. To this end, first and foremost, we must deescalate the conflict. As we speak, an increasing number and a variety of weapons with growing lethal capability are poured into the Ukraine battlefield. This is deeply worrisome and disturbing. We call on both parties to the conflict to exercise calm and restraint and push for deescalation to avoid further loss and suffering.
Second, we must achieve a ceasefire and cessation of hostilities. At present, the international community’s discussions on the Ukraine crisis are increasingly geared towards negotiation and edging closer to peace. We call on the two parties to the conflict to respond positively to the international community’s call for peace, demonstrate political will, meet each other halfway, and initiate peace talks at an early date. We call the international community to provide support and create conditions for this to happen and work together to maximize peace efforts and forge the synergy for peace talks.
Third, we must restore lasting peace. The Ukraine crisis is the result of security tensions in Europe blowing up all at once. The key to achieving a final settlement to this crisis still lies in upholding the principle of indivisible security, building a balanced, effective, and sustainable security architecture in Europe, thereby restoring durable peace and stability to the European continent.
President,
China’s position on the Ukraine issue is consistent. We always stand on the side of peace and on the side of dialogue. We are committed to facilitating peace talks and seeking a political solution. Since the outbreak of the conflict, we have laid out four points about what should be done for a political solution, issued position papers, and worked with Brazil and other Global South countries in launching the Group of Friends for Peace on the Ukraine crisis at the UN. We are ready to continue to work with the international community to support peace efforts and contribute to the political settlement of the crisis.
Thank. you, President.