Sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine paramount, Security Council hears

Briefing ambassadors in the Security Council ahead of the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Miroslav Jenča, Assistant Secretary-General for Europe in the political and peacebuilding department (DPPA), stressed diplomatic efforts must focus on securing a just and lasting peace.

Full participation of Ukraine, Russia

“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,” he said.

He also reiterated Secretary-General António Guterres’ position 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.”

The Security Council session coincided with the 10th anniversary of resolution 2202, which endorsed the now-defunct Minsk agreements of 2015 signed by the representatives of European security pact, the OSCE, Russia, Ukraine and leaders of the pro-Russian separatists in the occupied east of Ukraine following Russia’s annexation of Crimea.

The unanimously adopted resolution included a “package of measures” as its annex, including an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine, as well as the withdrawal of all heavy weapons by both sides by equal distances to create a security zone.

A stark reminder

Mr. Jenča noted that the anniversary serves as a stark reminder of past diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions and as an opportunity to reflect on the consequences of failing to forge a peace through international diplomacy.

He commended the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission for its eight years of work in tracking ceasefire violations and facilitating dialogue, noting that the experience offers key lessons for future diplomatic efforts.

“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,” Mr. Jenča said.

“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.”

More to follow…