Sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine paramount, Security Council hears

This article is published in association with United Nations.

A senior UN political affairs official on Monday reaffirmed that any peace deal in Ukraine must respect the country’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity, in accordance with the UN Charter and international law.

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.” Assistant Secretary-General Jenča briefing the Security Council.

European nations must stop ‘provoking’ Zelensky: Russia

Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said that as part of any lasting peace deal Ukraine needs to be a “demilitarized, neutral state, not a part of any blocs or alliances”, something that has “already been acknowledged” by US President Donald Trump.

He added that the 10th anniversary of resolution 2202 will be a good opportunity for European nations “to finally get back to reality, to stop provoking Zelensky and his henchmen towards a futile confrontation.”

“If you do not bring your protege in Kyiv to his senses, and if you do not put him in his place, this will not end well for Ukraine,” he said.

US committed to ending ‘carnage’

John Kelley, Political Coordinator at the Permanent Mission of the United States to the UN, said that his country wants a sovereign and prosperous Ukraine, “but we must start by recognising that returning to Ukraine’s-pre 2014 borders is an unrealistic objective”.

“Chasing this illusionary goal will only prolong the war and cause more suffering,” he said.

He stated that Ukraine is a “sovereign, independent country” and that Russia’s “illegal war of conquest” violates the United Nations Charter.

“Russia must immediately end its war against Ukraine, which not only violates international law but was also a strategic error for Russia. The easy way out is through negotiations,” he said, adding that if Russia chose the “hard way”, it would incur greater and escalating costs to its economy and losses on the battlefield.

“The US, as President Trump has made clear, is committed to ending the carnage and restoring stability to Europe. Ukraine, Russia and our European partners need to be a part of the conversation,” Mr. Kelley said.

Ukraine must be at the centre of negotiations: UK

Barbara Woodward, Ambassador of the United Kingdom, said that Russia was once again using the Security Council meeting to “distort the truth behind its illegal war.”

“The events of the last decade in Ukraine originate from a simple, sad reality: Russia’s imperialist ambition and failure to respect Ukraine’s sovereignty,” she said.

She stated that Russia was the “sole architect” of the war in Ukraine and that it could end it immediately by withdrawing its forces, urging the international community to “stand firm”.

“We can and must create the conditions for a just and lasting peace, which protects Ukraine’s security, sovereignty and independence,” Ambassador Woodward added, stating: “Ukraine’s voice must be at the heart of any negotiations.”

Peace cannot be bought: Ukraine

Khrystyna Hayovyshyn, Deputy Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the UN, said that Russia has violated several previous agreements “almost immediately” after signing them, and that such violations ultimately led to its invasion of her country.

Stating that Russia would break any agreement “the very moment its new aggressive plan requires so,” she said that any arrangements with the Kremlin “must include enforcement mechanisms and preventative measures.”

“Weak agreements will not bring real peace, they will only lead to greater war,” she stated, adding that this is why Ukraine is working with its partners to find strong and effective solutions.

“Peace cannot be bought – especially not at the expense of laws and principles, especially principle of territorial integrity and sovereign equality. Peace cannot be replaced with appeasement,” she said.