Statement by Ambassador , UK Permanent
Representative to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on
Ukraine.
Thank you, President and I echo Greece's thanks for your
stewardship of the Council in August. I'd also like to thank to
ASG Jenca for briefing us this afternoon.
I also look forward to the participation of Her Excellency, the
Prime Minister of Ukraine, in today's meeting.
Only yesterday, the representative of the Russian Federation
stood just outside this chamber and said to the media, I quote,
“We believe in peace. We believe in diplomacy.”
Yet Russia's attack on Ukraine just the night before was one of
the largest aerial attacks of its war.
Russia says it believes in peace and diplomacy.
Such brutal attacks say the opposite.
Russia deployed nearly 600 drones and 31 missiles in an attack
that hit civilians and civilian infrastructure.
Among the homes and buildings destroyed in Kyiv, the British
Council and the EU Delegation suffered extensive damage.
Deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure and civilian
objects is a violation of international humanitarian law.
At least 23 people, including four children, were killed by these
strikes, and dozens more were wounded.
We extend our condolences to the families and friends of those
killed.
It has been reported that among the children who were killed, the
youngest was 2 years old.
The Kremlin's actions reflect no desire for peace or diplomacy
that I can detect.
We are appalled by the suffering that Russia has inflicted on
civilians, including a guard at the British Council office who
was among those injured and hospitalised.
We are equally outraged by the damage these strikes caused to the
neighbouring EU Delegation building.
But if Russia thinks it can intimidate us, it is wrong.
This will only strengthen UK and Western resolve to support
Ukraine.
These strikes are the actions of a Russian government that is
hell-bent on destroying Ukraine and sabotaging international
peace efforts.
As my Prime Minister has said, quite simply, this bloodshed must
end.
And there remains only one solution: Putin must, as Zelenskyy has
done repeatedly, agree to a full and unconditional ceasefire
immediately.
President, every time I have to deliver a statement which marks
another milestone in Russia's violence, I am joined by 13 of my
fellow Council members.
14 Security Council members calling for a cessation of
hostilities.
It is easy to sit here and say that there must be peace.
Yes, we all want peace, but only one of us has the power to make
that happen immediately.
President Putin had the power to stop this war when we all called
for it last month, and the month before that, and the month
before that.
All the way back to February 2022.
How many people would still be alive today if President Putin had
committed to peace and diplomacy instead of violence back
then?
Or better yet, if he had decided not to invade at all?
