Remarks by Ambassador Geng Shuang at the UN Security Council Briefing on Ukraine

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16 January 2025

President,

I thank Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo for her briefing.

As the Ukraine crisis continues, war and conflict are spreading, leading to rising civilian casualties and an increasingly dire humanitarian situation. It is heart-wrenching and worrisome. One more day the war goes on, one more day it causes harm, destruction, unrest, and instability. China once again calls on all parties to abide by the three principles of no expansion of the battlefield, no escalation of the fighting, and no provocation by any party. We call on the conflict parties to put an early end to hostilities, start negotiations, and restore peace, and we call on the international community to actively create conditions and offer help to this end.

China’s position on Ukraine issue has been consistently and clear. In summary, it is to promote peace, facilitate talks, and find a political solution. From the beginning of the conflict, China has maintained that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries should be respected, that the purposes and principles of the UN Charter should be observed, that the legitimate security concerns of all countries should be taken seriously, and that all efforts conducive to the peaceful settlement of the crisis should be supported. China has issued a strong call for an early cessation of hostilities and for a diplomatic solution to the disputes. Over the past three years, China has worked tirelessly for restoring peace and facilitating talks. We have remained engaged with Russia and Ukraine and had frequent exchanges of views with European countries and the United States. For four times, China sent its special envoy to relevant countries for shuttle diplomacy. Together with Brazil and other countries from the Global South, we launched a Group of Friends for Peace on the Ukraine crisis here at the United Nations. The Group has met twice so far and made concrete efforts to advocate and build consensus for peace,recognized and commended by the international community

President,

For some time now, and in fact today, the US has been peddling false narrative to discredit and smear China at the Council’s meetings on the Ukraine issue. This is completely unacceptable. It has mianly three points. First, China provides military supplies to Russia. Second, China provides political cover for Russia. Third, if China had not supported Russia, the war would have ended long ago. These three points are all lies through and through. At earlier meetings, I responded to the US fallacies many times. Today, I might go a little further.

First, if China had really provided military supplies to Russia, the situation on the battleground would not have been where it is now. Second, if China had provided political cover for Russia, we would not have repeatedly emphasized in public the respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries and the adherence to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. Third, if China really did not want an early end to the war, we would not have sent our special envoys on multiple shuttle diplomacy missions, nor would we have worked with the Global South countries to establish the Group of Friends for Peace on the Ukraine Crisis.

The fact is, since the beginning, the US has used the Ukraine war to advance its geopolitical strategy and serve its own agenda. To sum up, first, the US wants nothing more than a weakened and defeated Russia through the war, so as to dominate European security and further increase its influence in Europe. Second, through the war, the US intends to stoke up bloc confrontation, create divisions, and contain and isolate China, a strategic rival in their eyes. Third, the US wishes to project a positive image to offset the international community’s criticism of its policies in the Middle East. Unfortunately, the US has failed on all three attempts. As such, the US refuses to reflect upon its own actions and the major responsibilities it bears for the start and continuation of the war to this day, but chooses to attack and discredit China in desperation. With that, they vent their exasperation, divert attention, and shift blames. Such acts would only further expose the US blatant practice of political manipulation and double standards and let the world see it through.

Present,

Finally, I would like to note that lately, there have been political messages from Russia and Ukraine on their interests for negotiations. The international community’s discussions on the Ukraine crisis have increasingly focused on peace and converge on negotiations. The development of the Ukraine issue is entering a critical period. We hope that the international community, including the US, can strengthen solidarity and cooperation and make concrete efforts to encourage parties to demonstrate political will and start peace talks to put to end the war as soon as possible and restore peace and stability on the continent of Europe.

Thank you, President.

Second Round of Remarks by Ambassador Geng Shuang at the UN Security Council Briefing on Ukraine

President,

I will be very brief. I would like to remind the US representative that if she had listened carefully to the statements made by other Council members, she would not have had any difficulty in realizing that the statements made by the other 14 members were different and focused on different points, and were not all in line with the US statement. But that does not mean that the statements made by the other countries were not correct. Every country has the right to decide how it wants to speak, and the United States is not in a position to judge other countries’ remarks, nor does it have the power to tell other countries what they should or should not say. China’s position on the Ukraine issue is objective and fair and has stood the test of history. We hope that the United States will reflect on its own words and deeds.

Thank you, President.

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