Politico-Military Counsellor, Ankur Narayan, commends Ukraine as
the party of peace for proposing a full, immediate and
unconditional ceasefire - and urges Russia to agree to this
without further delay.
"Thank you, Mr Chair. Our Helsinki Final Act commitments include
sovereignty, territorial integrity and the non-violability of
borders. As per the first line of the Helsinki Final Act, these
principles are designed to protect “true and lasting peace” in
our region. This is why we remain unwavering in our support for
Ukraine defending its territorial integrity, its right to exist,
its sovereignty, and its independence.
We welcome the progress President Trump has made towards a
ceasefire in Ukraine and in negotiations with Russia and Ukraine.
We are in close contact with US and Ukraine following the
conclusion of talks in Riyadh yesterday. President Zelenskyy has
already shown Ukraine is the party of peace by proposing a full,
immediate and unconditional ceasefire. We hope that
President Putin will agree to this without further
delay.
Any lasting peace must ensure Ukraine's sovereignty and security
– in line with the Helsinki Final Act and the UN Charter. With
robust security arrangements to ensure Russia is never able to
invade again. The UK will play its full part – and is already
taking a leading role, alongside France, to build a coalition of
the willing to support Ukraine's future security.
Over the last week, Russia has continued to launch brutal attacks
that cause daily suffering for innocent Ukrainians. The drone
strike on Kyiv on March 23rd exemplifies another horrific
assault, tragically killing a 5-year-old girl and severely
injuring ten others. A Russian missile strike on Sumy in
northeastern Ukraine injured 88 people, including 17 children. In
Donetsk, Russian shelling over the past three days across the
eastern Oblast province has resulted in the deaths of seven
civilians. We must emphasise the need for accountability for
these actions and renew our commitment to collaborating towards
achieving enduring peace.
Mr Chair, we are absolutely committed to securing a just and
lasting peace in Ukraine and are engaging with key allies in
support of this effort. A just and lasting peace is vital for
Ukraine and for wider Euro-Atlantic and international security
and prosperity."
