Thank you, Mr Chair. In Tuesday’s Distinctive Long term Council, I spoke of the devastating impression of Russia’s illegal invasion on the civilian population of Ukraine and the critical need for accountability. Nowadays I will focus on the many obligations and commitments Russia has willingly entered into, commitments created to endorse trust and open up dialogue in the pursuit of peace, to restrict unneeded struggling and shield the innocent from the horrors of war. Commitments which it is failing to meet up with.
We are now 4 months into Putin’s barbaric war of alternative in Ukraine, and there can be no shred of question as to the illegality of Russia’s actions in pursuit of its imperialistic aims. We recall that on 2 March, 141 nations – an overpowering vast majority – voted to condemn Russia’s invasion in the UN General Assembly. As a member of the United Nations, and in truth a lasting member of the United Nations Protection Council, Russia has dedicated to uphold the ideas of the Constitution of the United Nations. However the Russian government’s unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine has been anathema to these concepts. And although the Russian federal government has attempted to distract us with lies and disinformation, like in this area, no volume of spin or wrong narratives can obscure the truth of the matter. Russia by itself is responsible for this horrific war, and the resulting needless deaths of hundreds. Its contempt for intercontinental legislation is obvious.
Just in the very last couple months involving the 25 June and the 1 July, at minimum 46 Ukrainian civilians have been killed in a few strikes on civilian infrastructure, with a lot of much more hurt. Time and again, we see violation immediately after violation of worldwide law as Russia indiscriminately deploys munitions in opposition to civilians and in household locations, which includes thermobaric weapons and heavy artillery. How can President Putin, his government and his military services justify the sheer devastation it is creating? How can Russian diplomats defend these steps? In addition, in direct violation of Post 56 of Additional Protocol (I) to the Geneva Conventions, Russia attacked nuclear infrastructure in Chernobyl and Zaporizhzhia, jeopardizing the life of thousands of people, as well as an environmental catastrophe. Focusing on any civilian installation, unless it is contributing to the armed forces hard work, is illegal, as is concentrating on civilians. Russia is aware of this, so our summary should be that it simply does not treatment.
As properly as a lawful prerequisite to secure civilians and civilian infrastructure, President Putin and his armed forces will have to abide by their obligations below the third Geneva Conference that all prisoners of war ought to be treated humanely, afforded correct health care cure and primary necessities, and be guarded from humiliating and degrading procedure. We strongly condemn the exploitation of Prisoners of War for political uses. We are appalled by the sham trials and sentences passed on customers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, who as serving military personnel are entitled to combatant immunity for their participation in hostilities.
Russia’s steps have also revealed flagrant disregard for its commitments under the Budapest Memorandum and Minsk agreements. Below the Budapest Memorandum, Russia fully commited to “refrain from the risk or use of force towards the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine”. Ukraine entered into the Budapest Memorandum, alongside Russia, in very good religion and voluntarily surrendered the world’s third major nuclear weapons arsenal in exchange for these assurances. We realise now, that Russia had no intention to comply with by with the commitments it manufactured. It was in no way significant about peace.
Mr Chair, by failing time and time once again to adhere to its commitments, Russia has isolated alone on the globe phase. Russia’s steps are not people predicted of the prosperous and present day state which President Putin tells us it is. They are not behaviours that inspire belief and self confidence. And they are most definitely not behaviours regular with OSCE concepts and commitments. By contrast Ukraine’s bravery in the confront of these types of aggression has united and fortified the global community’s assist. We, alongside one another with our companions, connect with again on Russia to stop this illegal war, withdraw its troops from the total of Ukraine, and to stay up to its international obligations and commitments.
