July 25, 2024
Mr. President,
I thank Deputy High Representative Adedeji Ebo and the other briefer for their briefings.
As you may recall, on the 9th of this month, France and Ecuador requested a Security Council meeting following Russia’s attack on civilians and civilian infrastructure, including a hospital for children in Ukraine. We once again condemn such heinous attacks in the strongest terms.
Every month, Russia continues its abusive practice of requesting meetings on Ukraine whenever other Member States do so merely to match the numbers. By doing so, Russia has wasted so much of the Council’s precious time and resources. Today’s meeting is no exception.
When it comes to Ukraine, Russia’s intention in the Council has been consistent and clear. It attempts to place itself, the violator of the UN Charter and its victims on the same moral footing, trying to justify its actions in vain. For more than two years, Russia has engaged in hypocrisy and attempts to use the Security Council as a platform for disinformation. It is totally unacceptable to compare Russia’s actions with Ukraine’s legitimate defense against aggression and the entirely lawful and justified international support it receives.
At the start of the aggression in February 2022, an overwhelming majority of the General Assembly declared who was violating the UN Charter by attacking a sovereign neighboring state. This fact has not and will not change. The fact of Russia’s procurement of ballistic missiles from North Korea in violation of Security Council resolutions and their use in Ukraine has not and will not change. The fact of Russia used its veto to end the mandate of the panel of experts that monitored the implementation of those Security Council resolutions has not and will not change.
No one wishes for further escalation of harm. The path toward peace is simple: an immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukraine. Since this is an unprovoked war of aggression that Russia started, it will end if Russia decides to do so.
Next month, Ukraine will commemorate its Independence Day. As a friend and partner of the independent state of Ukraine, Japan reaffirms its strong and unequivocal stance in support of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Japan, standing with Ukraine and its people, for them to achieve a just and lasting peace has not and will not change.
I thank you.