New York, 28 June 2022
Thank you, Mr. President,
I thank Under-Secretary-General DiCarlo for her briefing and President Zelensky for addressing this Council once again today.
June 24 marked four months since the beginning of this war. Unfortunately, once again, there has been an increase in attacks against civilian infrastructure and heavily populated areas in various regions of Ukraine, including Kyiv and, in particular, in Luhansk and Donetsk.
We condemn yesterday’s attack on a shopping mall in Kremenchuk where a large number of civilians were gathered. The final number of victims is yet unknown, but so far at least 18 people have been killed and dozens have been injured, which is regrettable. An attack of this nature is contrary to International Law and International Humanitarian Law. We support the call of the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Ukraine to launch an independent investigation into these events without delay. We also reiterate our support to the investigations of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor for possible war crimes committed in Ukraine.
The shelling of residential areas in multiple towns in the Donbas is also unjustifiable, which has destroyed critical communications, infrastructure and services, and has severely affected the provision of essential health services as well as the access to several cities in the region.
We urgently call for safe and unrestricted access for all humanitarian workers. One of the main premises of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) is the principle of distinction, since its prime objective is to avoid, whenever possible, the suffering of civilian population or, to reduce as much as possible the harm that may be caused to them. Failure to respect this principle flagrantly violates International Humanitarian Law. The same applies to the use of cluster munitions: these are weapons that are prohibited by International Humanitarian Law.
Mr. President,
The proliferation of weapons in the region is a major concern. This is an additional factor of volatility since their increasing availability in the hands of civilian population is conducive to the continuation of conflicts.
Excellencies, we must agree that mediation and a dialogue that leads to a total ceasefire is urgently needed. This and no other should be the priority of this Council. However, in the meantime, it is urgent to increase humanitarian ceasefires that guarantee the safe and voluntary evacuation of the civilian population and to find mechanisms to mobilize grains, fertilizers and other basic products that are confined in Ukraine because of the war, and that increase the precarious conditions of food insufficiency in many other regions of the world. It is urgent to stop the war.
Thank you, Mr. President.