24 February 2025
Mr. President,
I would like to thank the Chinese Presidency for convening this meeting. I am also grateful to Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo for her briefing.
And at the outset I would like to express my profound gratitude to all UN Member States that, just hours ago, supported the relevant UN General Assembly resolution and demanded, on third anniversary of the Russian full-scaled invasion, swift achieving of comprehensive, just and lasting peace consistent with the UN Charter.
At the same time, I regret to state that UN SC resolution adopted today lacks the basics. It lacks the qualification of the war as an aggression of one Member State against another and it doesn’t reflect the principles enshrined in the UN Charter.
For three years, Ukraine has been resisting the full-scale invasion by the Russian Federation. Today, more than 600,000 Russian troops are deployed on our territory — three times the number that invaded in 2022.
Despite all odds, Ukraine’s Defense Forces continue to stand firm, even as the disparity in military strength remains stark.
This disparity exists because, since regaining independence in 1991, Ukraine has consistently pursued disarmament, reducing the vast military arsenals inherited from the Soviet era. We took seriously the provisions of the UN Charter, setting peace-loving as a fundamental criterion for membership in this Organization.
We envisioned our region as an area of peace and prosperity.
Without hesitation, we chose to become a non-nuclear state. We gave up the world’s third-largest nuclear arsenal in the hope of making the world a safer place.
And while we do not regret the moral righteousness of that decision, we have learned a harsh lesson from the Budapest Memorandum: a deal without viable and effective security guaranties is a bad deal.
Meanwhile, Russia did the opposite — not only preserving Soviet-era stockpiles but significantly expanding them. Today, as a result, Russia is capable of striking Ukrainian frontline positions and residential areas with thousands of guided aerial bombs every month. In 2024 alone, Russian aviation has launched 40,000 such bombs.
Moreover, Russia continues to escalate its weapons production, including ballistic and cruise missiles. Each month, Russia is capable of producing 40-50 Iskander missiles, 30-50 Kalibr missiles and around 50 Kh-101 missiles.
These weapons do not stay in stockpiles — they are immediately deployed against Ukraine. But even this has not been enough for Moscow. That’s why Russia has engaged Iran and DPRK in its war against my country. What started as arms supplies has escalated further, with North Korean military units appearing in Europe and fighting against a European nation.
Since the start of the full-scale invasion, Russia has suffered staggering losses: hundreds of thousands of soldiers; over 10,000 tanks and 22,000 artillery systems; 370 aircraft and more than 12,000 multiple-launch rocket systems.
The Black Sea Fleet has lost 28 vessels, including its flagship. What remains of it is now forced to seek refuge not even in the occupied ports of Crimea, but in Russian ports.
These outcomes are the result of two factors: the resilience of the Ukrainian people and the solidarity of our international partners. We feel this support, and we are deeply grateful for it.
Russia attacks both of these pillars because, despite all its advantages, it has failed to break Ukraine on the battlefield.
It tries to crush our spirit, primarily through terror. That is why it targets critical infrastructure and residential buildings. That is why Russian soldiers are executing Ukrainian prisoners of war en masse. This execution-style killings must be investigated by internationl organisations and all those responsible must be brought to justice.
Russia seeks to undermine global solidarity with Ukraine. Its vast propaganda machine spreads aggressive disinformation, attempting to discredit our country and sow doubt about Ukraine’s ability to preserve its independence.
Now Russia is pushing an entirely unworkable principle — “negotiating about Ukraine without Ukraine” — and packaging its harmful narratives in an appealing guise to this end. In this regard, I would like to reiterate two principles: nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine, and nothing about Europe without Europe.
Mr.President,
Ukraine resists and stands firmly. As President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated, we must establish comprehensive, just and lasting peace for Ukraine with clear security guarantees.
To achieve this, we must intensify efforts to establish a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace based on the principles of the UN Charter. It is in the interest of all humanity to secure such a peace this year.
What Russia needs is not peace, but a temporary pause in hostilities. Such a pause would not bring peace — it would simply serve as a prelude to a larger war. Moscow needs time to replenish its losses, learn from its mistakes, and fine-tune its military economy.
For three years, Ukraine has been saving time for others by withstanding the Kremlin’s war machine. Our efforts and sacrifices must not be in vain.
For that to happen, alliances built on shared values must be strengthened, not undermined. NATO and EU are indispensable elements of regional security and Ukraine is eager to be a part of them. Not only as a security recipient, but as a security provider.
And the Security Council, which bears the primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security, must live up to its mandate.
Those responsible for the crime of aggression must not enjoy impunity.
Sovereignty and territorial integrity within the internationally recognized borders must be respected.
We will continue to defend ourselves and strive for a fair and just peace consistent with the UN Charter. We know how to contain Russia, and our military has mastered the art of modern technological warfare.
However, to sustain this fight, we will need further support — arms, air defence, technology, investment, tougher sanctions on Russia and transfer of frozen Russian assets to Ukraine, political and moral backing.
We must be mindful of the fact that this is an existential war, this is an existential war for the entire democratic world, for our democratic principles and values.
Russia has repeatedly tried to dismantle the rules-based security order and our security architecture.
It is impossible to stop the aggressor by appeasing. Appeasement never works.
Russia must implement the demands by the international community and withdraw its troops from the territory of Ukraine.
Those responsible for the crime of aggression, war crimes and crimes against humanity must be brought to justice. We remain committed to the establishment of the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression.
Let me reiterate once again: this war is existential. It is not only about Ukraine, not only about Europe, and not only about the region — it is about our global architecture, the rules-based order and the entire democratic world.
Thank you!