I thank you, Secretary-General for your briefing and indeed for all that you do in trying to forge peace in our world. I wish to acknowledge the presence of the Foreign Minister of Ukraine and all other ministers and high-level officials at this meeting.

Tomorrow will mark exactly two years since Russian military forces invaded the territory of Ukraine, in what was then termed “a Special Military Operation”, an action that has cost the lives of over ten thousand civilians, injured many more, and displaced over six million Ukrainians.  The toll on civilians in both Ukraine and Russia, including women, children, the elderly, and persons living with disabilities, is exceedingly high, with no immediate end in sight.

Excellencies,

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine two years ago violated the most basic tenets of the United Nations Charter and the principles of respect for territorial integrity, sovereignty, and non-interference.  

Our countries have all felt the impact of this war to some degree. Not only in terms of increased challenges to the rules-based order as we know it, anchored in the Charter and International Law, but also in terms of disruptions in food and energy prices, logistics, and supply chains, and worsening hunger in the most vulnerable regions of the globe, already struggling amidst COVID-19 recovery efforts.

As a small developing state whose sovereignty and territorial integrity are protected by legal norms and instruments, Guyana deplores the threat or use of force in the conduct of international relations and condemns the military aggression that has been unleashed against the people of Ukraine. 

We reiterate our call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and a return to diplomacy. War must never be the answer. Instead, dialogue and diplomacy are the only guarantees of achieving lasting peace. While we welcome and recognize the efforts of some UN member states to find a diplomatic solution, we encourage greater investments in this regard. 

We call on the parties to respect the principles of distinction, precaution, and proportionality and to fully comply with their legal obligations including under the Geneva Conventions and their additional protocols.

It is regrettable that this Council, which has the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, is still unable to find a meaningful solution to end the conflict and minimize the full impact of the war on the erosion of international norms.

We repeat our call for the complete withdrawal of Russian military forces from the internationally recognized territory of Ukraine and urge the parties to commit to a serious political and diplomatic process toward ending the conflict. We also urge strengthened efforts at all levels by all concerned parties toward a peaceful resolution. 

Guyana stands ready to work with members of the Council to bring the war in Ukraine to a peaceful end and to find a sustainable solution for long-lasting peace. 

I thank you.