Remarks of the Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and the Americas Miroslav Jenča during briefing to the Security Council on Ukraine

Mr. President,

In one week, we will mark three tragic years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, launched in violation of the UN Charter and international law.

The invasion represented an inexcusable escalation of the conflict that started in 2014, with the attempted illegal annexation by the Russian Federation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, Ukraine, followed by the outbreak of fighting in the regions of Donetsk and Luhansk in the east of Ukraine.

Civilian casualties continue to rise. The global impact of the war continues to be felt far beyond Ukraine.

In this context, today’s ten-year anniversary of Security Council resolution 2202 - that called for the full implementation of the now defunct Minsk agreements - is an opportunity to recall past diplomatic efforts towards de-escalation and a peaceful settlement of the conflict. It also invites reflection on what happens when peacemaking fails.  

Since the beginning of the conflict, the United Nations has remained fully committed to the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine, within its internationally-recognized borders.

Over the past ten years, while not directly involved, the United Nations has consistently supported the various diplomatic processes and mechanisms aimed at restoring the peace and security of Ukraine. These included efforts led by the Normandy Format countries and by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in the Trilateral Contact Group, focusing on the implementation of the 2014 and 2015 Minsk agreements.  

In line with Chapter VIII of the UN Charter, we made available our expertise and international experience to the OSCE and its Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) in areas such as ceasefire monitoring and women, peace and security.

We commend the dedication of the professionals who served with the OSCE’s Special Monitoring Mission. For eight difficult years, they played a crucial role in monitoring and reporting ceasefire violations. They helped maintain dialogue to reduce tensions and prevent escalation. 

We reiterate our gratitude to the OSCE and the SMM for the constructive cooperation over the years.

As underlined in the Pact for the Future, the role of regional and subregional organizations in diplomacy, mediation and the pacific settlement of disputes remains essential. In Europe, this is particularly relevant for the OSCE on the 50th anniversary of its founding document, the Helsinki Accords.  

Mr. President,

It is important to consider some of the key lessons of the past ten years of conflict and peacemaking in order to succeed in ensuring a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in Ukraine.

The Secretary-General has underlined, time and again, that any peaceful settlement must respect the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine, in line with the UN Charter, international law and resolutions of the General Assembly.

In the Pact for the Future, Member States recommitted to the promotion of cooperation and understanding between states to defuse tensions, seek pacific settlement of disputes, and resolve conflicts.

This approach must also apply to put an end to the war in Ukraine.

The United Nations encourages dialogue among all stakeholders and welcomes all genuine efforts and initiatives, with the full participation of Ukraine and the Russian Federation, that would alleviate the impact of the war on civilians and de-escalate the conflict.

The Minsk agreements have taught us that agreeing on a ceasefire or the signing of an agreement alone do not ensure a durable end to the violence.

Ensuring that the conflict does not reoccur and does not escalate will require genuine political will and understanding of its multi-dimensional complexity, for Ukraine and for the region.

Mr. President,

We renew our appeal of ten years ago for all stakeholders to step up their efforts to end the fighting. We reiterate the Secretary-General’s call on all countries to help prepare the ground for a just peace. And we stand ready to use our good offices and to make available all our tools and experience in support of such efforts.

Thank you.