Statement by Fergus Eckersley, Minister Counsellor, at the
Security Council meeting on Ukraine.
"How is it that Russia can sit here and claim any sort of
commitment to diplomacy, while at the same time ramping up
missile and drone strikes on Kyiv?
A six-year-old boy was amongst those killed last night by Russian
missiles in Kyiv.
The problem is that for all its words, the Russian state has
geared itself for war.
A war of aggression, a war of Russia's own making.
The government bolsters its legitimacy and suppresses opposition
by stoking fears about external enemies.
Russia's economy is now highly dependent on military industrial
production, with almost 40% of government spending on defence,
more than 8% of GDP.
And the President has defined himself politically as the man who
can conquer so-called neo-Nazism in Ukraine, and the threat that
he claims NATO poses to Russia.
In reality, these are challenges of his own creation.
Ukraine is not ruled by neo-Nazis, and NATO does not pose a
threat to Russia.
NATO merely stands with Ukraine in the face of Russia's
unprovoked and illegal invasion.
The consequences of a militarised Russian state are not limited
to the appalling tragedies felt every day by Ukraine's brave
people.
Russia itself has suffered over a million casualties as a result
of its own war.
The wider region is also directly dealing with the effects of
Russia's aggression.
And ultimately, we all are. Russia's actions are an affront to
the UN Charter principles and international law.
The very foundations of all of our peace and security.
The consequences for the wider international system are also
clear.
While members of this Council discuss how to bring peace to
Sudan, Russia tries to leverage access to a naval base.
While we discuss peace in Mali, Russia has pushed out the UN to
secure advantage for its private military contractors.
While we discuss sanctions to prevent nuclear proliferation on
the Korean peninsula, Russia tries to undermine those sanctions
to access military supplies for its war machine.
There is another pathway.
President Putin could accept the truth that there is no threat to
Russia, not from Neo-Nazis and not from NATO.
He could choose to engage in good faith in a ceasefire and in
peace talks based on the UN Charter.
Until then, this state of war remains a choice that President
Putin is making.
We need to continue to show that there is no good outcome for
Russia from its aggression, that we will remain staunch in our
support for the defence of Ukraine, including through the
provision of weapons systems in the face of relentless Russian
attacks on critical national infrastructure and civilians.
We must be vigilant in clamping down on any military industrial
support for Russia, including by preventing the export of
dual-use items.
And we need to continue to demonstrate to Russia the economic
costs of the choice it is making, and not give its militarised
state a lifeline that it can feed on.
Ultimately, we must not let up in affirming the principles of the
UN Charter.
Every Member State at the UN has a responsibility in this, to
support a peace process that only Russia, only Russia is
currently rejecting.
As President Trump has made clear, there is no reason for delay.
Russia must make progress towards a meaningful peace immediately.
But the world has seen Russia's response.
That is why, as President Zelenskyy said, peace without strength
is impossible.
So it is now that we need to meet our responsibility to stand
together and to demand that Russia immediately ceases its
aggression and adheres to the call for a just and a lasting
peace."
