December 20, 2024
Madam President,
I would like to thank High Representative Izumi Nakamitsu for her briefing.
This umpteenth meeting on transfers of arms requested by Russia is only a smokescreen to mask the way in which Russia continues to treat the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.
There is an aggressor, Russia, which attacked a sovereign state that posed no threat whatsoever, and an aggressed country, Ukraine, which is free, like any other state, to determine its own destiny. Russia cannot shift onto others the responsibility for a conflict that it chose to unleash and has pursued for nearly three years, without any respect for international law.
Let us recall that Russia ignored the order of the International Court of Justice which ordered it on March 16th 2022 to immediately suspend its military operations. It has ignored resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly, which have condemned this aggression seven times, with a very broad majority, and called for Ukraine’s territorial integrity to be respected. We repeat once again: Russia can choose at any time to cease its aggression, without harming its own security.
Article 51 of the Charter is very clear: Ukraine has the right to defend itself. The exercise of this right of legitimate defense includes the possibility of neutralizing Russian military targets involved in operations targeting Ukrainian territory.
Madam President,
For more than a thousand days, a thousand days, Russia has violated international humanitarian law by carrying out systematic missile and drone strike campaigns against Ukrainian civilian populations and infrastructure, particularly in the energy sector. Whilst Ukraine prepares to enter its third winter of war, France will remain committed to respond to the humanitarian needs of the Ukrainian population.
The pursuit by Russia of this illegal aggression is facilitated by transfers of arms that support its war effort. Russia thus continues to deliberately undermine the foundations of the international architecture for non-proliferation, by procuring drones and ballistic missiles from Iran and, in violation of Security Council resolutions it has supported, munitions and ballistic missiles from North Korea. The deployment of North Korean soldiers in Russia and their engagement alongside the Russian armed forces is a further escalation. This commitment, which is probably an unhoped-for military exercise for Pyongyang, is unacceptable and dangerous for international peace and security.
France urges all states to refrain from supplying Russia with the military equipment, dual-use goods and components that fuel this war of aggression.
Madam President,
France, with our partners, will continue to stand by Ukraine and support it in every way, for as long as necessary. France will continue to provide Ukraine with the military support it needs to defend its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, in accordance with the Charter.
The so-called capitulation of the party under attack cannot be the condition for negotiations. It will never be the basis for a just and lasting peace, this can only ever be based on respect for the fundamental principles of the Charter, and therefore for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Ukraine.
Thank you.