March 26, 2025
Thank you Madam President,
I would like to thank the Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Ms. Joyce Msuya, for her presentation, which confirms that Russia continues to conduct military operations against Ukraine in violation of international humanitarian law.
1/ The presentation you have just given us bears witness to the humanitarian disaster caused, for more than three years, by the war of aggression started by Russia in violation of the United Nations Charter. The indiscriminate attacks have claimed countless victims among the Ukrainian civilian population. As you said, according to the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees, 3.7 million people have been displaced within the country, and nearly 7 million have sought refuge in Europe and elsewhere. Ukrainian children are paying a heavy price. Many of them have been deported to Russia, where they are subjected to forced re-education practices. The elderly and disabled, as well as women, are also disproportionately affected by the Russian aggression. Russia has destroyed two-thirds of the production capacity of the Ukrainian energy network.
The suffering of the Ukrainian people has increased in recent days. Russia has carried out strikes against energy infrastructure and civilian objects, including hospitals, schools and homes, including in Kiev and Odessa.
These indiscriminate strikes illustrate the gap between Russia’s words and its actions, as it claimed to be ready for a partial ceasefire on energy infrastructure a few days ago. The deliberate targeting of civilians and civilian objects is a violation of international humanitarian law. It must cease immediately, regardless of any ceasefire, whatever its scope. We condemn these actions.
Madam President,
2/ Russia must prove its readiness for peace. It cannot claim to be willing to conclude a partial truce while continuing to relentlessly bomb the civilian populations of Ukraine.
Ukraine accepted the proposal for an immediate, complete and unconditional ceasefire made by the United States at the Jeddah meeting on March 11. France welcomes this progress, just as it supports efforts that can contribute to progress towards a just and lasting peace. However, far from proving that it really wants peace, Russia continues, day after day, to strike Ukrainian territory, including civilian targets, as I said, claiming new victims in recent days. The announcement of a moratorium on energy infrastructure and a truce in the Black Sea is a step in the right direction, but is not enough to establish a lasting ceasefire and must be followed by action.
Madam President,
3/ It is to build this just and lasting peace that France, with its partners, in particular the European Union, continues to stand with Ukraine. Since February 24, 2022, we have chosen to provide Ukraine with political support and humanitarian aid, which amounted to nearly 500 million euros as of January 1, 2025, in support of United Nations agencies, international organizations and non-governmental organizations. We have also provided military support to Ukraine to help it exercise its right to self-defense, as enshrined in Article 51 of the Charter. This military support aims to lend force to the law, to defeat an illegal war, as observed by the International Court of Justice, which on March 16, 2022 called on Russia to immediately suspend its military operations on Ukrainian territory. Ukraine must be able to defend itself in order to be in a position to engage in negotiations that lead to a just settlement of the conflict. The European Council of March 20 reaffirmed the European Union’s determination to continue providing comprehensive support to Ukraine and its people.
Ukraine, a sovereign nation, must be able to take part in the negotiations that determine its own destiny. Nothing concerning Ukraine must be decided without Ukraine. Nothing that affects European security must be decided without the Europeans being at the table. Robust security guarantees, which deter any future aggression, must be made available to Ukraine.
The President of the Republic has said multiple times that France is committed to a just and lasting peace rooted in the principles of the Charter. These principles, which include the sovereign equality of States and respect for their territorial integrity, were reaffirmed by the General Assembly in two resolutions adopted on February 24. These essential principles must continue to guide our efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace.
In the meantime, it is the duty of the international community to continue to provide Ukraine with the humanitarian aid it needs.
Thank you.