Statement by Lithuania on behalf of the Baltic States - Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania at the United Nations Security Council Briefing on Maintenance of Peace and Security of Ukraine
Statement by Lithuania on behalf of the Baltic States - Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania at the United Nations Security Council Briefing on Maintenance of Peace and Security of Ukraine on Tuesday, 10 September 2024.
President,
I have the honour to address the Council on behalf of three Baltic States - Estonia, Latvia and my own country Lithuania. We also align ourselves with the Statement of the European Union.
We congratulate Slovenia on assuming Presidency of the Security Council this month and express appreciation for holding this meeting to consider recent attacks on civilians in Ukraine perpetrated by Russia in its ongoing war of aggression against Ukraine. We also thank Ms. Joyce Msuya, Acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs for her briefing.
We commend the work of UN in Ukraine in efforts to provide needed humanitarian assistance under increasingly difficult conditions due to Russia’s war of aggression that is also targeting humanitarian organisations in Ukraine.
Particularly welcome strong condemnation of recent Russia’s attacks issued by UN humanitarian coordinator in Ukraine and immediate actions taken aiming to provide first aid, psychological support, food, repair materials and finances. On our part Baltic states continue to boost our contributions to OCHA and its managed funds in Ukraine to support its important work.
President,
Since Council last meeting on this issue, Russia’s rockets and bombs continued targeting educational institutions, hospitals, and residential areas in Ukraine.
These attacks targeted critical energy infrastructure and residential buildings across fifteen Ukrainian regions, including the capital, Kyiv. The appalling civilian toll from Russia’s strikes on residential areas in Kharkiv on 30 August, which claimed at least six lives, including that of a child, and left more than 80 others wounded, is emblematic of Russia’s desperation and complete disregard for human life and international humanitarian law. The latest cruel air-strikes against Poltava and Lviv resulted in killing more than 50 people and wounding more than 200 others, including 3 children and their mother.
Due to constant Russian attacks against Ukraine’s critical energy infrastructure more than 80% of Ukraine’s thermal energy generation and a third of its hydro generation has been destroyed. As the cold season is approaching, we must continue humanitarian and financial support to Ukraine with a special focus on energy sector.
The Baltic states reiterate their strong condemnation and ever-growing outrage at continuing Russia's war crimes and violations of international humanitarian law committed as part of Russia’s illegal and unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine. We call on the international community to unequivocally condemn the aggressive Russian nationalism fomented by the Putin regime, and the continuing Russia's imperialist ambitions, which are well known to all the peoples in its neighbourhood, not excluding our own nations. We also call on Belarus, Iran and the DPRK to stop their military supply and assistance to the criminal Russian regime.
We are alarmed by the reports of Iranian ballistic missiles transfers to Russia and news from Latvia where Russian military Shahed type unmanned aerial vehicle crashed on Saturday after entering the Latvian airspace from Belarus. Aerial vehicle illegally violated Latvia’s airspace while carrying explosives.
These actions are a prime example of Russian double standards - Russia keeps conveying the UN Security Council to criticise weapons transfer to Ukraine, while violating UN Security Council resolutions and importing different types of weapons from Iran and the DPRK to prolong their aggression against Ukraine, a sovereign state defending its territory.
President,
Russia’s highest leadership and their accomplices must be held accountable for the crime of aggression through the establishment of a Special Tribunal that is based on international law and enjoys the broadest cross-regional support. All countries should insist on implementing the ICJ binding order to halt the military offensive by Russia against Ukraine and undertake steps to enforce ICC arrest warrants issued to Russia’s top political and military leadership. A failure to arrest an accused criminal that is wanted by the ICC enables impunity and undermines the international criminal law system.
The Baltic States reiterate their unwavering support to Ukraine’s exercise of its inherent right for self-defence and our solidarity with Ukraine seeking to restore its territorial integrity and sovereignty within its internationally recognised borders.
We will do everything possible to further strengthen our support to Ukraine until victory.
I thank you!