29 April 2025
Je voudrais remercier la présidence française du Conseil d’avoir convoqué cette réunion, et saluer la présence de Son Excellence Monsieur le Ministre d’Europe et des Affaires étrangères de la France, dans cette Chambre. Je voudrais également remercier la Secrétaire générale adjointe Madame DiCarlo et la Sous-Secrétaire générale Madame Msuya pour leurs interventions très intéressantes.
EN.: (I thank the French Presidency of the Council for convening this meeting and I warmly welcome you, your Excellency the Minister of Foreign Affairs of France, in this Chamber. I would also like to thank Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo and Assistant Secretary-General Msuya for their very interesting briefings).
Mr. President,
The Council remained seized -multiple times this month, in many forms and settings- of the repercussions of Russia’s continuing aggression against Ukraine.
Despite recent efforts for peace, led by the United States, the Russian military has continued to strike Ukrainian cities and civilian infrastructure, killing and injuring civilians, among them children, women and elderly. As the Head of the Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine stated after the recent shelling of Kyiv, these scenes of destruction and suffering reflect a deeply disturbing trend; civilians bearing the brunt of ever more intense and frequent attacks. The effect of warfare particularly on children is immeasurable: the war in Ukraine has affected a whole generation of children, either by claiming their lives or by severely impacting their psychosocial well-being.
Greece condemns in the strongest terms any attacks against civilians and civilian objects and calls on Russia to immediately cease targeting residential areas and critical infrastructure in Ukraine. International Humanitarian Law dictates that all parties to conflicts must take every possible measure to spare civilians from harm. Adherence to these principles constitutes not only a legal requirement but also a moral imperative and should also go hand in hand with accountability for the perpetrators and justice for the victims.
Mr. President,
The time for peace has come and it is long overdue. Greece has supported the partial ceasefires, with regard to energy infrastructure and the Black Sea. Yet a major step towards peace would be a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire, in line with what was agreed by the United States and Ukraine more than a month ago. We regret that Russia did not join the agreement, raising questions about its intentions and sowing further mistrust.
At the same time, positive developments, though limited and scarce, should be commended. In that respect, we welcome the latest exchange of prisoners on April 19th and hope for the continuation of this practice.
Mr. President,
Greece reiterates that the overarching goal remains a just, comprehensive and lasting peace achieved through inclusive diplomacy, in line with the UN Charter and international law, that upholds Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. That was the clear message sent by the international community through multiple General Assembly Resolutions, the latest of which in late February.
Only Ukraine has the right to decide on its future and on accepting any peace formula. However, a sustainable peace requires credible security guarantees to preclude the recurrence of war and ensure that Ukraine remains a sovereign and independent state, in charge of its own destiny.
En conclusion, Votre Excellence, Fermement engagée en faveur du droit international et de la Charte des Nations Unies, la Grèce réaffirme qu’il est impératif que nous œuvrions tous au rétablissement de la paix et à la fin des destructions et des souffrances en Ukraine.
La sécurité de l’Ukraine a des répercussions majeures sur la sécurité et la stabilité mondiales.
Par conséquent, une paix juste et durable requiert le soutien actif de tous, de l’ensemble de la communauté internationale.
Je vous remercie.
EN.: (In closing, Your Excellency, Steadfast in its commitment to international law and the UN Charter, Greece reaffirms that it is imperative that we all work towards achieving peace and an end to the destruction and suffering in Ukraine. The security of Ukraine has far-reaching repercussions for global security and stability; therefore, a just and lasting peace needs the active support of us all, of the whole international community.
I thank you.)