Threats to international peace and security - Security Council, 10002nd meeting

The 10,002nd meeting of the Security Council is called to order. The provisional agenda for this meeting is threats to international peace and security. The agenda is adopted. I would like to warmly welcome distinguished Ministers and other high-level representatives present in the Security Council Chamber. Your presence today underscores the importance of the subject matter under discussion. In accordance with Rule 37 of the Council's provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representative of Estonia, Germany, Latvia, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Sweden, and Ukraine to participate in this meeting. It is so decided. In accordance with Rule 39 of the Council's Provisional Rules of Procedure, I invite Mr. Miroslav Jenca, Assistant Secretary-General for Europe, Central Asia and Americas, Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations to participate in this meeting. It is so decided. In accordance with Rule 39 of the Council's Provisional Rules of Procedure, I also invite Her Excellency Ms. Kaja Kallas, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and Vice-President of the European Commission to participate in this meeting. It is so decided. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of item 2 of the agenda. I now give the floor to Mr. Miroslav Jenca.

Mr. President, In a letter dated 20 September 2025 addressed to the President of the Security Council, the Permanent Representative of Estonia to the United Nations informed that on 19 September, three Russian MiG-31 fighters entered up to 10 kilometres inside Estonia's airspace for 12 minutes, in violation of Estonian airspace. The United Nations is not in a position to confirm any of the claims made regarding the incident and does not have any further details of the events. This briefing is therefore solely based on information available from public sources. According to the Estonian Ministry of Defense, the incursion took place between 9:58 a.m. and 10:11 a.m. in the area of Vaendlo, a small island located in the Gulf of Finland in the Baltic Sea. According to the ministry, the jets entered the Estonian airspace without permission and had their transponders switched off and did not have flight plans, potentially endangering other aircraft. According to Estonian and Italian officials, Italian F-35 fighters attached to NATO's air defense support mission in the Baltic states were reportedly activated to intercept the Russian jets and warn them off. Sweden, as part of its national response and in coordination with NATO, along with Finland, also reportedly scrambled a rapid reaction aircraft. Estonia stated that this latest incident follows four violations of its airspace by Russia this year, and it has requested consultations with NATO Allies under Article 4 of the Washington Treaty. The meeting of the NATO North Atlantic Council has been reportedly scheduled to take place tomorrow, 23 September. On 20 September, Russia's defense ministry stated that its fighter jets made a scheduled flight from Karelia on the border with Finland to an airfield in the Kaliningrad region in strict accordance with international airspace rules, without deviating from the agreed flight path and without violating Estonian airspace. According to the Russian Federation, the flight path was over neutral waters of the Baltic Sea, more than three kilometers from the island of Wyndlow. Mr. President, this latest development follows reported violations by Russian drones of Polish and Romanian airspace. On 12 September, this council convened to discuss the incursion of 19 Russian drones into Poland between 9 and 10 September. On 13 September, according to Romania's Ministry of Defense, a Russian drone was detected in Romanian airspace as two Romanian F-16 jets were monitoring the country's border with Ukraine after Russian air attacks on Ukraine. The ministry said that the drone did not fly over populated areas or pose imminent danger. This series of recent incidents further underscore the already high tensions that endanger European security as the war continues to rage in Ukraine. Violations of sovereign countries airspace are unacceptable. We again urge all concerned to act responsibly, to use all available channels, and to take immediate steps to de-escalate tensions and prevent further risks to regional security. The world simply cannot afford such danger to spiral out of control and for the devastating war in Ukraine to further escalate and expand. Mr. President, Over the weekend in Ukraine, Russian drones and missiles continued to hit several regions, killing at least three people, injuring dozens more, and damaging civilian infrastructure and residential buildings. Several civilian casualties were reported across the country. According to the Ukrainian authorities, in the central city of Dnipro, a missile with the reported cluster ammunition hit a residential apartment building, killing at least one person and injuring at least 30 others. Local officials reported that two people were also killed in the Chernihiv region in the north and the Khmelnytskyi region in the west of the country. According to the Ukrainian authorities, over the past week, Russia launched more than 1,500 attack drones, 1,280 guided aerial bombs and 50 missiles of various types. This represents a clear escalation of Russia's attacks against Ukrainian cities and towns. More casualties were also reported over the weekend in the Belgorod region of the Russian Federation, where, according to local officials, Two civilians were reportedly killed and four injured as a result of Ukrainian shelling and drone attacks. The continuing trend of intensifying widespread attacks once again underscores the need to build on recent initiatives for diplomatic efforts towards peace before the situation reaches even more dangerous levels. We reiterate our call for a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire to pave the way for a just, lasting and comprehensive peace in Ukraine in line with the UN Charter, international law and relevant UN resolutions. The United Nations remains ready to support all meaningful efforts to this end. I thank you.

I thank Mr. Jenca for his briefing. I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Lars Loker Rasmussen, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Denmark.

Mr. President, first of all, I would like to thank Assistant Secretary General Jenka for his informative briefing. Ten days ago in this chamber, Denmark's representative expressed our condemnation of the violations of Poland's airspace by Russian military drones. And within four days, another Russian military drone incursion took place, this time into Romanian airspace. Denmark condemns the violation of the territorial integrity of Romania. And today we meet again, yet again, to discuss a reckless and dangerous violation by Russia, with three fighter jets entering Estonia's airspace last Friday. For 12 minutes, and penetrating 10 kilometer deep north of Tallinn until escorted out of Estonian airspace by NATO jets. Let there be no doubt, I condemn this latest violation of Estonia's sovereignty and territorial integrity by Russia. Our support for Estonia remains steadfast. Our resolve to stand by our allies remains equally firm. Together with EU partners and NATO allies, we will continue to offer support to Estonia in protecting its borders. Mr. President, these are reckless and dangerous escalations and provocations by the Russian Federation. These are threats to intimidate countries, to stop supporting Ukraine, and to test our resolve. Russia clearly feels it can act with impunity. in Ukraine, the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea, the whole of Eastern Europe. Denmark and its allies will not be provoked by Russia. On the contrary, it only strengthens our resolve and further intensifying our longstanding support to Ukraine, whatever threats are made. We have seen this playbook before, the invasion of Georgia, the annexation of Crimea, The invasion of the Donbas, the full scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia's neighbours not unreasonably fear they could be the next. Denmark stands fully behind Estonia's territorial integrity. The Russian provocations must end immediately. Therefore, we tell the Russian Federation today, step back, step back, take another path. We will not allow the unraveling of the European security architecture. We will not allow Russia to project chaos and uncertainty wherever it wants. And more broadly, these recent air incursions undermine the fundamental pillars of international law that we all benefit from. Mr. President, when the UN was created 80 years ago, The aim was to stop larger states from bullying and terrorising smaller states, to create an order in which all countries are sovereign, where their territorial integrity is respected. Denmark remains fully committed to these principles. I thank you.

I thank His Excellency Mr Rasmussen for the statement. I now give the floor His Excellency Mr. Georgios Gerapetritis, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic.

Thank you, Mr. President. And I would like to thank the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Korea for convening the important emergency meeting. I would like also to thank Assistant Secretary General Jenker for his insightful briefing, and I welcome the participation of fellow foreign ministers and deputy foreign ministers as well. the High Representative of the European Union and Vice President Ms. Kallas in this meeting. Dear colleagues, as this organisation celebrates the 80th year since its establishment, international order, peace and security are gravely challenged around the globe. It is therefore our urgent and imperative duty to heighten our vigilance and intensify our efforts to meet and contain these challenges, protect international peace and security and avoid escalations. Only in this way we will be fulfilling the core task of the Security Council. In the course of these last two weeks, NATO and EU's airspace has been violated three times, as Russian aerial means entered, contrary to international law, the territory of Poland, Romania and Estonia. The latest incident involving the incursion of Estonian airspace by three armed Russian fire jets cannot be viewed in isolation. Reckless acts of this kind are not new, but their successive recurrence indicates they are not mere coincidences. As the saying goes, once is an accident, twice is a coincidence, three is a pattern. Greece unequivocally condemns the violation of Estonia's and for that matter any Member State's airspace. We stand in full solidarity with Estonia, a friendly country and an EU and NATO ally. Any violation of state borders, be it air, sea or land borders, constitutes a clear and blatant breach of international law and the UN Charter and is unacceptable, particularly coming from a permanent member of the Security Council. We call on Russia to cease these unlawful acts immediately and respect its obligations under international law. Colleagues, it is evident that this new escalation is a direct result of the Russia's war in Ukraine. Greece has welcomed President Trump's initiative for meeting President Putin in Alaska in August, as well as any initiative that could result in the termination of the war. Nevertheless, these violations as acts of aggression contradict the spirit of the Ankkorats meeting. Lastly, dear colleagues, we're now witnessing the destabilizing effects of the war and its wider implications for the security of Eastern Europe and of the wider region. This is why, once again, we call on Russia to stop its armed aggression, a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine based on the principles of sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of states must remain our foremost goal. a peace safeguarded by credible and robust security guarantees, which will effectively deter any recurrence of armed aggression that precludes further escalation and that is in line with international law, the UN Charter, the General Assembly resolutions and the Helsinki Final Act. I thank you.

I thank His Excellency Mr. Gerard Patriotes for the statement. And I give the floor to Her Excellency Ms. Yvette Cooper, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom.

Thank you, Mr. President, and thank you to the Assistant Secretary General for that briefing. For three and a half years, the world has witnessed a permanent member of this Council engaged in the full-scale and unprovoked invasion of another state. a violation of its most basic obligations under the UN Charter. As President Trump and President Zelensky have worked for peace, the Russian Federation has starkly escalated its attacks. Attacks on the Council of Ministers, on the British Council building, and repeated attacks on residential flats and homes as children sleep in their beds. And we meet today now at the request of Estonian allies because Russia's recklessness is escalating. In the last two weeks alone, over 20 Russian drones in Polish airspace, a drone through Romanian territory, and now three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets with their transponders turned off, violating Estonian airspace for 12 minutes. At best, These latest acts are dangerous and reckless. At worst, they are a deliberate attempt to undermine the territorial integrity of sovereign nations and European security. They risk miscalculation. They open the door to direct armed confrontation between NATO and Russia. NATO's combined strength is unparalleled and its determination to defend peace and security in Europe is unshakable. Of this, Russia must be in no doubt. And I commend the resolute and firm response of Estonia, Poland and Romania and all NATO allies. I welcome the launch of Eastern Century on 12 September to ensure the safety and security of the Alliance's eastern border, and I am proud that UK aircraft are taking part. And to those nations and to all NATO allies, I say, the United Kingdom stands in full solidarity with you at this time and always. And to President Putin, I say, your reckless actions risk a direct armed confrontation between NATO and Russia. Our alliance is defensive, but be under no illusion, we stand ready to take all steps necessary to defend NATO's skies and NATO's territory, we are vigilant, We are resolute. If we need to confront planes that are operating in NATO airspace without permission, we will do so. The United Kingdom stands by our friends. We are unwavering in our support for the principles of the UN Charter, for our NATO allies and for Ukraine. We are committed to increasing the pressure on Russia until it ends its illegal war against Ukraine, ceases its reckless acts and respects the sovereignty of other states. Russia's imperialist warmongering is a threat to international peace and security. It is a threat to the values and principles that underpin this organisation, this organisation that has done so much to support stability and prosperity these past 80 years. We must counter it for the sake of us all. Thank you.

I thank her excellency Ms Cooper for her statement. I give the floor to Her Excellency Ms. Melita Gabric, Deputy Minister for Foreign and European Affairs of Slovenia.

Thank you, Mr. President. I also want to thank the Assistant Secretary General, Mr. Miroslav Jenca, for your important contribution. Excellencies, we are meeting here for the second time in just ten days due to the reckless behaviour of the Russian Federation. that poses a threat to international security. Ten days ago, we discussed a drone incursion into Polish airspace, an incident involving more than 20 drones, making a significant escalation in scale and intensity. Today, we are addressing a new provocation. Russian fighter jets incursion into Estonian airspace, an incident that was not merely momentary, but deliberate and dangerous. Slovenia supported the call for this meeting, and we stand firmly and without reserve with Estonia, its security, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. Excellencies, let me say this in no uncertain terms. We condemn this escalation. At a time when tensions are already dangerously high, this is not the moment for military provocation. There is a high time, this is a high time for dialogue, a high time for diplomacy. When we previously discussed the drone incursion into Poland, our ambassador spoke of the growing unease with which we are witnessing such behaviour across Europe. Let us be honest with ourselves around this very table of the Security Council. These actions do not occur in a vacuum. They are unfolding as we are well in the fourth year of Russia's illegal war of aggression against Ukraine. These deliberate provocations are symptomatic of the time we live in, a time in which violations of international law are tolerated to an extent we have not seen in modern history. Slovenia says a clear and principled no to such behavior wherever it may occur and whoever may be the perpetrator. If we can clearly say no to Israeli atrocities committed in Gaza, to terrorist violence, We must not shy away from condemning Russian aggression against Ukraine. Excellencies, let us also be clear on another matter. Europe wants peace. Europe wants a ceasefire, and we want to see the beginning of serious and meaningful peace negotiations between Ukraine and the Russian Federation as soon as possible. Despite the best efforts by President Trump in Alaska, we still await a meaningful gesture from Russia, a sincere willingness to come to the negotiating table. And while we wait, Russia continues its escalatory behavior, intensifying attacks on Ukrainian cities and endangering and intimidating civilians both in Ukraine and in its neighboring countries. We hope the time is near when this Council will finally begin a principled and honest discussion about the war in Ukraine and decide to take action. Until then, and allow me to repeat this, Slovenia will stand firmly with Estonia, with Ukraine, and with any other member of this organization that needs to be protected from unlawful charge of violating actions by those who believe that might makes right. Thank you, Mr. President.

I thank her excellency, Ms. Gabric for her statement. And I give the floor to the representative of France.

Thank you, Mr. President. I would like to begin by thanking Assistant Secretary General Mr Miroslav Jenča for his statement, and I would like to welcome the ministers present here, the Foreign Affairs Minister of Estonia and the other representatives from the European Union, and Mrs Kallas. As we know, on the morning of 19 September, Russia violated Estonian airspace with three fighter jets, which remained there for nearly twelve minutes. These elements lead us to consider that this is an intentional violation. This is the third time in ten days that Russia has violated the airspace of the European Union and NATO. This latest incursion leaves no room for doubt. Russia is choosing escalation and provocation. Mr President, this Council had already met exactly ten days ago to discuss the unacceptable intrusion of around 20 Russian drones into Poland in the context of a massive aerial attack against Ukraine. This new violation, this time carried out in broad daylight and by no fewer than three fighter jets, not drones, is unprecedented in over 20 years. It confirms the continuation and accumulation of Russia's provocative actions. Mr President, France condemns in the strongest terms this dangerous and irresponsible incursion, which constitutes a blatant violation of international law. And we stand firmly alongside Estonia, whom we express our friendship and our full and unwavering solidarity. France directly contributes to Estonia's security. We participate in the strengthening of our security posture on Europe's eastern flank alongside our allies in the European Union and NATO. Mr President, we must not forget that at the same time Russia continues its war of aggression against Ukraine. Just hours after this incursion, it once again carried out massive strikes against Ukraine using 40 missiles and over 550 drones. Russia must understand that these violations of NATO airspace in no way undermine our determination to implement strong, robust and credible security guarantees in favor of Ukraine. Mr. President, Ukraine courageously accepted six months ago now the principle of an unconditional ceasefire. It has demonstrated its willingness to negotiate. President Volodymyr Zelensky has for the past four months expressed his readiness for direct negotiations with President Vladimir Putin. Yet as world leaders gather here in New York to mark the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, Such a meeting has still not taken place. Russia, on the contrary, continues its aggression and Russia is now escalating its intimidation of Ukraine's neighbors. It continues to violate and undermine the principles of the UN Charter, the territorial integrity and the sovereignty of states. It is up to Russia to seize the offer of a ceasefire and the opening of negotiations, as called for by the UN Secretary General and the entire international community. Mr President, it is our responsibility as members of the Security Council to acknowledge the obvious and to call upon Russia to end these reckless provocations and to put an end to the large-scale war that it launched more than three years ago on the European continent. Thank you.

I thank the representative of France for the statement. I now give the floor to the representative of China.

President, I thank ESG Jantsch for his briefing and welcome the high-level representatives of Estonia and other relevant countries to the meeting today.

President,

The airspace incident discussed by the Security Council today and the drone incident discussed a few days ago are both spill over effects of the Ukraine crisis. They reflect the lack of mutual trust and growing suspicions among relevant parties and illustrate the complex and sensitive nature of the current European security situation. As long as the Ukraine crisis remains unresolved and the war continues, similar incidents are likely to reoccur. Therefore, the urgent imperative and fundamental solution are to realise a political resolution to the Ukraine crisis as soon as possible and to build a balanced, effective and sustainable European security architecture. Regarding the Ukraine crisis, we have fully elaborated our position on multiple occasions at the Security Council before. Tomorrow, the Council will hold a high-level meeting on the issue of Ukraine, when China will expand our position again. I will not go into details today. On the airspace incident, China urges the parties concerned to remain calm and exercise restraint, clarify facts and dispel doubts through dialogue and communication, avoid misunderstandings and misjudgments, and prevent the situation from expanding or escalating. We always maintain that countries should follow the purposes and principles of the UN Charter in handling international relations. Thank you, President.

I thank the representative of China for the statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Somalia.

Thank you, Mr. President. At the outset, I would like to thank ASG Jantsch for his briefing on the development in the Baltic Sea region. I welcome his excellence, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Estonia to this meeting, as well as the representative from the region. Mr. President, The situation in Eastern Europe remains a significant concern, carrying serious implications for regional stability and international norms. The divergent narratives surrounding the events of September 19, which are happening against the backdrop of the ongoing war in the region, underscore the urgency of the situation and the critical need for diplomacy and dialogue. Such incidents highlight the fragility and volatility in the region, reminding us of the fundamental principles enshrined in international law and the United Nations Charter, including the peaceful resolutions of disputes. We firmly maintain that there is no military solution to disagreements over airspace or territorial integrity. Continued escalations only serve to heighten tensions and undermine the process for a durable peace in the region. We believe that lasting solutions are found at the negotiating table, not through acts that can be interpreted as hostile. In this regard, we call upon all parties to exercise maximum restraint and engage in earnest substantive dialogue. A durable solution will require a genuine commitment to de-escalation, confidence building measures and renewed focus for diplomatic effort. To conclude, Mr. President, My delegation reaffirms its unwavering support for all efforts aimed at upholding the principles of international law and achieving just and lasting solution consistent with the United Nations Charter. We firmly believe that the people in the region deserve a future defined by peace, security, and stability. I thank you.

I thank the representative of Somalia for the statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Russian Federation.

Thank you, President. There was a time when Europe, for many of us, was associated with the Renaissance, the Enlightenment, cutting-edge philosophy, culture, and science. Yet today, all of that, unfortunately, has gone, and it's gone for good. Voltaire, Rousseau, Kant, and other leading philosophers have been replaced with the von der Lians, the Calluses, and the Johnsons. as well as other small time blinkered Russophobes. Thanks to their efforts, the primitive hatred for our country and an attempt to portray Russia as the main threat to pan-European security is before our very eyes becoming the only ideology of European states. They're trying their utmost to make the next generation forget the bitter experience of predecessors of today's Euro integrators. For instance, the experience of Napoleon and Hitler who suffered defeat at our country's hands, for which Europe paid a lengthy and painful price. Any events are immediately interpreted through an anti-Russian prism. The very idea that war with Russia is unavoidable is being frantically pounded into the heads of the European populace. Russia is being branded all sorts of things, portrayed as an enemy, not even going to the trouble in principle of using facts or evidence. When assertions, when these assertions turn out to be false, no one even thinks about apologizing for spreading such blatant lies. Today, we will have an excellent opportunity to see this for ourselves, given that in the room we have a lot of European extras. These extras will, as per usual, will be letting their imaginations run wild regarding the threat from Russia. This paranoia has reached never-before-seen heights. Just last week, we were compelled to listen in this Chamber to groundless accusations about supposedly Russian UAVs entering Polish airspace. Not a single piece of evidence that these drones were of Russian provenance has been provided to date. It's telling that just a few days later we heard that the incident involving damage to the roof of a residential house in Lublin province, which is a key component of this anti-Russia campaign, in reality was the result of a missile erroneously being dropped from a Polish fighter jet. The Polish Prime Minister Tusk today recognized that not a single drone that was found contained explosives, not a single one posed a threat to civilians. As for the Polish opposition, it clearly said this is a blatant provocation, the aim being to pull Poland into war. President, we take very seriously allegations against our armed forces. We always try to get the facts, which should allow us to understand what actually happened. This is why, in trying to get to the bottom of the situation, we immediately proposed for the Polish side to engage in bilateral consultations with us. Yet we didn't get a sensible reaction from Warsaw. This attests to only one thing. Neither Warsaw nor Brussels want the truth. All they need is a pretext for a new wave of the Russophobia campaign they're engaged in. It's very difficult to comment. Our European neighbours are inculpating themselves so obviously. Anyone of sound mind, anyone who is familiar with elementary logic would never say such a situation is normal. But yet, if on every screen, in every social media outlet, on every page, you're being told that Russia is your only enemy, then you might start believing anything and everything. The facts, the evidence here are superfluous. Today, we're compelled to be here to watch part two of this spectacle entitled Blame Russia for Everything. Our neighbours have now imagined that Russia is at fault for an incursion into Estonian airspace. As always, there is no proof except the Russophobic hysteria coming from Tallinn, which our Estonian colleague will wax lyrical about a little bit later. As for the facts, The facts prove that on the 19th of September, three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets conducted a planned flight from Karelia to an airbase in Kaliningrad Oblast, carried out in strict accordance with international airspace use rules. The Russian aircrafts did not stray from the agreed route, nor did they cross into Estonian airspace. Their trajectory, well, their flight was over the neutral waters of the Baltic Sea, over three kilometers from the island of Vaendlo. Flight recorder data confirmed this. If Estonia wanted to, it could have checked this itself. But Tallinn is not pursuing such an objective. Their goal is different, going against common sense and the facts to foment hysteria and accuse Russia of provocations. Thus, NATO representatives rushed to call what happened reckless behavior. And the head of European diplomacy, who also happens to be Estonian, called for a firm stance in support of the Baltic states. To be perfectly frank, our European colleagues deserve our sympathies. After all, the project they had been building on our borders for years, the anti-Russia project, and this is what Ukraine was actually turned into after 2014, this project is coming apart at the seams, discrediting itself. Ukraine became the Zelensky concentration camp long ago. It's not sparing its people. They're dying by the thousands every day in a senseless meat grinder in the name of Western geopolitical interests. Zelensky's regime has turned its country into a symbol of corruption, outright theft, violations of human rights, the freedom of religion and freedom of speech. In European capitals, despite all of this, they continue to laud so-called Ukrainian achievements, giving money and weapons to the Kiev regime, although they're clearly increasingly ashamed of their own puppets. However, they can't understand how to disentangle themselves from this fix. As a result, not so creative Europe bureaucrats have found nothing better to do than to whip up anti-Russian hysteria in the hope that European voters won't notice. This is a strange strategy and without a doubt it will achieve the opposite of what it intends to do. What will they accuse Russia of next? After all, they're not bothering to check the evidence nor the logical rationale for our actions. It's hard to think where their imaginations will take us next when no one cares about the facts. President, without a doubt we understand that the hysteria of our European colleagues is also directed at trying to return the new US administration, including President Trump, to an anti-Russia course. It's aimed at undermining the understandings and undertakings entered into by Russia and the US by their presidents in Alaska a month ago. On this note, I'd like to quote the US Vice President, JD Vance, who at the Munich Security Conference at the start of this year voiced some uncomfortable conclusions, uncomfortable for Europe. The threat, and here I quote, the threat that I worry about vis-a-vis Europe is not Russia, not China, it's not any other actor, external actor. What I worry about is the threat from within, the retreat of Europe from some of its most fundamental values, values shared with the United States, end of quote. Despite this clear cut diagnosis contained in the aforementioned quote, Europe decided not to listen. Europe. today is like an unhinged paranoid individual unable to respond to criticism. Nor is it able to remember the lessons of history. After all, for the current cast of European leaders and Euro bureaucrats, history was reset to zero in February of 2022. Thus, drawing the lessons of history for today's Europe is bad manners. But this is a very dangerous path. We all know that history is ruthless vis-a-vis those who forget its lessons. That's our former European partners. If you want to get hysterical, to ferment and to continue levy baseless accusations, go right ahead. But do that without our participation. We won't be partaking in this theater of the absurd. And you don't need us there. When you decide that you want to engage in a serious discussion about European security, about the fate of our common continent, about how to make this continent prosperous and secure for everybody, We'll be ready. You know where to find us. I thank you.

I thank the representative of Russian Federation for the statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Panama.

Mr President, we are grateful for the detailed presentation of Under Secretary General Jenča, providing us with a more complete picture of the events that took place in Estonia on Friday 19 September. We would also like to welcome the ministers distinguishing us today with their presence at this meeting. Just a week ago, this Council met to consider, with concern, the incursion of Russian drones into Polish airspace. Today, once again, we find ourselves addressing similar events, this time concerning the incursion of Russian combat aircraft into Estonian airspace. These incidents, so close together in time and of such threatening nature, illustrate a pattern of actions that could undermine regional stability and they are a cause of concern for us all. Panama rejects any act of intimidation of one state against another. The violation of Estonian airspace cannot be seen as an isolated event. but rather as an act that threatens international peace and security, the very pillars upon which this Council rests. President, the world is going through particularly turbulent times, where the proliferation of conflicts in all regions is directly and disproportionately affecting the civilian population and global stability. The accumulation of these intimidating incidents does not contribute in any way to peace or international stability. On the contrary, these events erode trust among states and create a climate of heightened tension and vulnerability for collective security, a situation that the world can no longer In this regard, we see that these acts are expanding. Activities in the region are showing this. Despite the inconclusive results that have been achieved by efforts of the parties, we still hope that genuine dialogue and decisive diplomacy and commitment can put an end to this conflict. Let us use this space, where today the highest authorities are gathered together to mark the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, to resume efforts in the right direction. Panama calls for caution and we reiterate once again the primacy of the principle of respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states. in full accordance with the purposes and principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter, to which we committed ourselves more than 80 years ago. Only through strict adherence to these principles can peace, security and peaceful coexistence among States be guaranteed. Thank you very much.

I thank the representative of Panama for the statement and I give the floor to the representative of Algeria.

Thank you, Mr. President. At the outset, I would like to thank Mr. Miroslav Jenka for his valuable briefing. I would also like to welcome the Foreign Minister of Estonia and all the honourable ministers participating in this meeting. Mr President, we meet today following recent reports that Russian military aircraft flew into the airspace of the Republic of Estonia on 19 September. These developments could exacerbate tensions and further escalate the situation in the region, a region that is still suffering from the repercussions of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. On numerous occasions, Algeria has stressed the need to avoid any action or reaction that could inflame tensions. We have also repeatedly stressed the danger of succumbing to the logic of polarization in the context of this conflict. It's imperative to avoid any endeavor that could inflame hostilities or exacerbate their potential repercussions. In this vein, I would like to highlight the following points today. First, we believe that it is important to maintain the momentum of the recent diplomatic effort in order to prevent any escalation that could prolong or expand the conflict, thereby it might undermine any progress towards peace and security in the region. Second, It has become necessary to give precedence to communication and coordination in addressing these incidents through a transparent and effective approach. This would avoid any misunderstanding or confusion and it would help to avoid their recurrence. Last but not least, we would like to reiterate once again our call for the primacy of the language of dialogue and negotiation. We must adhere to diplomatic solutions as the only feasible way forward to reach a just and lasting solution to the conflict. In conclusion, Algeria remains convinced that the realisation of peace and security in Ukraine and through it in the region as a whole can only be achieved through the intensification of diplomatic efforts aimed at finding a final solution to this conflict. This should be based on the principles and purposes of the United Nations Charter, taking into account the legitimate security concerns of both parties. My country also reiterates its commitment to support any effort that would contribute to the maintenance of international peace and security in the region. Thank you.

I thank the representative of Algeria for the statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Guyana.

Thank you, Mr. President, for convening today's meeting at the request of Estonia. following the unauthorized entry into its airspace of three armed fighter jets reportedly belonging to the Russian Federation. I also thank ASG Jentsch for his briefing and welcome the participation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia and other ministers and high-level officials in this meeting. Mr. President, Guyana has taken careful note of the letter dated 20th of September from the permanent representative of Estonia, in which he asserts that this was the fifth violation of Estonia's airspace by the Russian Federation, marking a dangerous escalation and the most serious violation thus far. We have also taken note of the public statement issued by the Russian authorities denying that the three jets violated Estonia's airspace. Saturday's incident appears to follow a pattern of similar events in the region that are unfolding in the context of the ongoing armed conflict in Ukraine. When this Council met last week to address a similar incident in Poland, we affirmed that the violation of a country's airspace is a serious breach of its territorial integrity and a violation of international law. We also agreed on the need for de-escalation and for the states involved to establish the facts and act responsibly to avoid any further escalation of an already dangerous situation. Today, as we confront another allegation of incursion by the Russian Federation, I would like to stress the following two points. First, as we did last week, Guyana calls for restraint and de-escalation and for the facts surrounding this recent incident to be thoroughly clarified. Given that there have been similar incidents in the recent past, it is reasonable to assume that they will continue to occur unless appropriately addressed. In this respect, we underscore the need for the Security Council to have access to detailed and verifiable information regarding the incidents and encourage the relevant parties to cooperate with the United Nations toward that end. Secondly, Guyana recalls the legal obligation of all UN member states to comply strictly with international law, including the provisions of the United Nations Charter and Security Council Resolution 2788. Mr. President, members of the Security Council have a collective responsibility to find ways and means of preventing disputes from escalating. including through diplomatic efforts, and must apply the tools provided in the Charter and relevant conventions for the peaceful settlement of any dispute between states. On the broader question of the ongoing armed conflict between Russia and Ukraine, we reiterate our demand for an immediate and peaceful end to the war and for the full implementation of Security Council Resolution 2774. Any expansion of this conflict will have dire consequences for innocent civilians in the region and for the world at large. This must be avoided at all cost. In closing, Mr. President, I once again urge the Russian Federation to cooperate with the affected states as well as the United Nations in providing the necessary information and finding a peaceful path forward. I thank you.

I thank the representative of Guyana for the statement, and I give the floor to the representative of Sierra Leone.

Thank you, Mr. President. I also thank ASG Nkay for his briefing. We welcome the participation of the representatives of Estonia, Ukraine, and other participants under Rule 37. The letter dated 20 September 2025 from the Permanent Representative of Estonia reporting a serious violation of its airspace is of grave concern. This report, viewed together with the earlier letter from the Permanent Representative of Poland on the Russian Federation's drones entering its airspace, similarly reflects an alarming pattern increasing the risk of a regional conflagration with global consequences. Mr. President, regrettably, the three rounds of talks in Istanbul, which led to agreements on exchanges of prisoners of war and civilian detainees, as well as the return of Ukrainian children, and which had raised hopes for a political solution, have not been matched with advancement in the ceasefire and peace agreement negotiations. On the contrary, military operations in Ukraine have intensified and now reached the breach of airspaces of Estonia, Poland, and Romania. The responses for the three countries and NATO underscore the gravity of the threat. They signal that prolonging the conflict risks spillover, regional escalation, and global insecurity. Given the adverse implications of a protracted conflict in Europe, the Council and the wider international community must intensify efforts towards peace. Sierra Leone has consistently called for an end to this war. urging the parties to embrace diplomacy and agree to a ceasefire that prevents further death and suffering. The humanitarian toll is devastating, with over 6,500 civilians having been killed in Ukraine this year alone, including rising numbers of children among the dead and injured. More than 10 million people have been displaced, creating the largest refugee crisis in Europe since the Second World War. Mr. President, Sierra Leone reiterates that the UN Charter enshrines the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the peaceful settlement of disputes. Article 2.3 obliges member states to resolve disputes by peaceful means, whilst refraining from the threat of use of force. The disregard of these principles and international law, the repeated resort to force, and the inability to secure ceasefires are deeply troubling. Aware of the consequences of this conflict, which could plunge the region into chaos, we call for measured responses by NATO and individual states, making use of Article 4 consultations to de-escalate and renew political dialogue. We commend the ongoing efforts by the United States, European leaders, and other mediators and this Council to seek a peaceful resolution and a sustained political engagement at the highest levels. We again call on the parties to engage in genuine negotiations towards a political settlement that upholds Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, while addressing the legitimate security concerns of all parties. I thank you.

I thank the representative of Sierra Leone for the statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Pakistan.

Thank you, Mr. President. I would like to thank ASG Shah for his briefing. We also welcome the distinguished Foreign Minister of Estonia, other ministers, and the EU High Representative to this meeting. President, prolonged and intense conflicts, no matter how localized, create a vortex of instability with spillover effects that invariably affect regional and global stability. And what we are witnessing around us today is a practical manifestation of this fundamental truth about conflicts. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine, now into its fourth year, has generated numerous challenges both for the regional and international peace and stability. Pakistan, alongside our fellow Council members, has repeatedly drawn attention to the negative consequences of this conflict and the need to bring it to an end. We take note of Estonia's letter of 20th September addressed to this Council informing about violations of its airspace. Pakistan is an ardent proponent and strong adherent to the UN Charter and its principles. Sovereignty and territorial integrity of all member states are cornerstone principles of the UN Charter. are sacrosanct and must be respected universally. Pakistan remains deeply perturbed by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, especially its humanitarian consequences that have adversely impacted the lives of millions of people in the region. Cessation of hostilities and return to diplomacy remain the only path for achieving sustainable peace. In line with our clear and consistent position, Pakistan has always called upon the parties to demonstrate restraint, avoid escalation, and scrupulously adhere to the international humanitarian law. We firmly believe that only a meaningful dialogue, which addresses the security concerns of all sides, is anchored in the principles of UN Charter and international law and respects the relevant multilateral agreements can help secure peace, a peace that is both just and lasting. Pakistan stands ready to support all regional and international efforts that can pave the way for a peaceful resolution of the current conflict. President, I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome the new permanent representative of the United States to the Council. Thank you.

I thank the representative of Pakistan for the statement. Before giving the floor to the United States, I would like to welcome the new permanent representative of the United States, Ambassador Michael Waltz, to the Security Council. We look forward to working closely with you in the coming days. You have the floor.

Well, thank you, Mr. President, and it is very good to be with you and this esteemed body for the first time. And thank you, ASG Jentsch, for your briefing. And of course, I too welcome the participation of Estonia's foreign minister in this briefing as well. Colleagues, just nine days ago, this council met to discuss the United States and Russia. Russia's violation of Poland's airspace with a large number of military drones in that meeting. The United States urged Russia to end the war in Ukraine and stop actions that could risk it escalating into a broader conflict. Instead on when three armed military aircraft flew 10 nautical miles into Estonian airspace, coming within 15 miles of the Estonian parliament. And as we said nine days ago, the United States stands by our NATO allies in the face of these airspace violations. And I want to take this first opportunity to repeat And to emphasize the United States and our allies will defend every inch of NATO territory. Russia must urgently stop such dangerous behavior at a time when President Trump and the United States has been focused and spent an enormous amount of time and effort to end this horrific war between Russia and Ukraine, we expect Russia to seek ways to de-escalate, not risk expansion. This event following on the heels of the Russian drone incursion into Polish airspace creates the impression that Russia either wants to escalate and pull more countries into this conflict with Ukraine or doesn't have full control of those who operate its fighter planes and drones. Either scenario is very disconcerting, given that Russia is a obviously a nuclear power with global reach. And so I once again. Urge Russia as a permanent member of this council to uphold international peace and security. To respect the sovereignty of its neighbors to cease violating their airspace, and I call on Russia to negotiate directly with Ukraine. to end that war, I thank you, and I very much am honored and look forward to working with each of you. Thank you, Mr. President.

I thank the representative of the United States for the statement. I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of the Republic of Korea. To begin, my gratitude goes to ASG Yuncha for the statement. Colleagues, the Republic of Korea is seriously concerned by the most recent in a series of deeply alarming incidents, this time impacting the territorial integrity of Estonia. On Friday, we were dismayed by reports of fighter jets from the Russian Federation violating Estonian airspace and remaining there over the Gulf of Finland for a total of 12 minutes. We note that this incident led to some countries responding by scrambling their jets in yet another troubling event over European territory. This once again appears to represent a significant breach of the sovereignty of United Nations member state, which could further threaten European and international security and simultaneously erode diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine. Friday's incidents in the Estonian skies represent just the latest occurrence in a series of concerning actions following the recently reported Russian drone breaches of Poland and Romania. Colleagues, at this Council's 12 September meeting, in response to the violation of Poland's territorial integrity, my delegation warned that this incident was a resounding wake-up call and could mark a dangerous turning point. One, where the war in Ukraine may no longer be able to be contained, instead spreading incrementally and insidiously further into Europe. Today, we reiterate our expanding concern over yet another seeming escalation. This incident suggests a troubling pattern that could proliferate and interconnect, raising the risk of grave miscalculation over even miscommunication. And it vividly illustrates the urgency of decisively ending this war. Colleagues, we remind once again, the Security Council of Russia, And the DPRK's ongoing unlawful military cooperation, which violates multiple Security Council resolutions and directly threatens peace and security in Europe and Asia, it must stop immediately. In conclusion, alongside the international community, the Republic of Korea continues to support diplomatic efforts to bring about lasting peace in this region. and I resume my functions as President of the Council. I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Margus Tarkkuna, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Estonia.

Your Excellencies, thank you, President. Please allow me to thank the Presidency for convening the Security Council meeting at such a short notice. And I also would like to thank KSG Yenza for his valuable briefing. Ladies and gentlemen, what brings us here today is alarming. On 19 September 2025, three armed Russian MiG-31 fighter jets deliberately entered Estonian airspace in violation of our territorial integrity. They remained in our skies for 12 minutes, penetrating up to 10 kilometers deep and covering nearly 100 kilometers inside our sovereign territory. These are the hard facts based on solid evidence, whatever Russia is claiming. And let me show you the screenshot from our most modern radar screen. So you can see here as well, red line, is a violation of Estonian territory and sovereignty. You can see it very clearly. This is a fact. This is not something else. So here you can say, you can also see the radar screenshot where Russia fighter jets entered, where they were and how they went out. They were warned already before. There was a very clear communication on all different channels as well visibly. And there was no response and just Russian fighter jets, they continued the violation of Estonian and also NATO airspace for 12 minutes, 100 kilometers. And this is a lot. And these are the hard evidences for that. Also, There are pictures of these fighter jets. And it is very clear that these fighter jets, they carried as well missiles. All of them, they carried missiles and they were combat ready planes. And you can see from here as well, Russian representatives, that these are the photos which really were taken during this heavy violation of NATO and Estonian airspace. So what I want to say, that violation is crystal clear and Russia is lying again, as it has been lied before several times. We remember the occupation of Georgia, 2008, 2014 Crimea, 2022 aggression against Ukraine started. So please don't lie again. Hard evidence is here. So it is a dangerous escalation. It was a fourth violation of Estonian's airspace by Russia this year alone. By this one was deeper, longer, with three armed aircraft simultaneously and just minutes flight time away from Tallinn, our capital. I want to recall that Member States' sovereignty and territorial integrity on land, at sea and in the air must be respected at all times. So this was yet another reckless and flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter and of international law by our neighbor. We are here today because this violation of our sovereignty and threat of use of force concerns not only Estonia, but the entire international community. The 19 September intrusion was not an isolated act, but part of a broader pattern of Russian provocations against its neighbors. while the permanent member of the Security Council continues its full scale war of aggression against Ukraine. On 9th of September, Russia presently violated Poland's borders by sending 19 drones into Poland's airspace. On 13th of September, a Russian attack drone flew for almost an hour over Romanian territory. Russian drones have been also found in Latvia and Lithuania, our neighboring countries. Russia's dangerous behavior cannot be tolerated. To do so would seriously undermine not only the United Nations Charter and the international law, but would set very dangerous precedent, encouraging further aggression, fueling regional and global tensions, and ultimately endangering global peace and security. Ladies and gentlemen, for the first time in 34 years since Estonia joined United Nations, we were obliged to ask the presidency to convene this meeting in the spirit of the preventive diplomacy and in order to stop immediately attempts at further escalation by Russia. We use this occasion to call again on the Russian Federation loud and clear to cease without delay its war of aggression against sovereign Ukraine, and to abide by the obligations enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. We call on Russia to end all provocations and threats against its neighbors' sovereignty and territorial integrity. The international community must stand firm in demanding an end to these blatant breaches of the United Charter in order to prevent further escalation and to ensure international peace and security. Ladies and gentlemen, Estonia is convinced that all responsible members of the international community should always call out such outrageous actions by any member of United Nations and even more so by a permanent member of the Security Council. entrusted with a special responsibility to safeguard international peace and security. And yet, words are not enough. As Russia itself has become a real threat to global peace and security, we need to exercise collectively maximum pressure on Russia, forcing it to just and lasting peace in Ukraine, and forcing it to abandon its criminal neocolonial and imperial ambitions. Together, we can hold Russia accountable for its crime of aggression against Ukraine, for the war crimes and crimes against humanity it has committed since 2014, and for its ongoing violations of international treaties and agreements it has pledged to uphold. Impunity, appeasement and further concessions would only embolden Putin and would lead to new crimes. We can succeed only if acting decisively together in defense of the United Nations Charter and the international law. Finally, let me assure that the members of the Security Council and wider audience that Russia's threats and provocations are not going to weaken our resolve to support Ukraine in its defense against the Russian aggression. Just and lasting peace in Ukraine will strengthen the multilateral system based on international law, with the United Nations and its charter at the core, as well as international peace and security across the globe. Thank you, President.

I thank His Excellency Mr. Tsakhanov for the statement. I now give the floor to Her Excellency Ms. Kaja Kallas, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, and Vice President of the European Commission.

Thank you, Mr. President, Excellencies. The United Nations was founded on a set of shared values and principles, foremost the pursuit of peace and security. Although these values are being continuously tested and tried, the adherence to these values is still what brings us together in this room. There is one country present here in this room which is actively seeking to undermine the values and principles the nations of the United Nations have committed upholding. Last week, Russia once again violated international law and the sovereignty of an European country. For 12 minutes, three armed Russian fighter jets blatantly violated Estonian airspace. The same type of fighter jets that regularly bomb innocent civilians in Kyiv. The recent violation of Estonian airspace is unprecedented in both scale and recklessness. It was a deliberate provocation which could have ended with devastating results. This comes after Russian violation of both Polish as well as Romanian airspace with drones a week earlier. It cannot be that Russia accidentally violates three times in two weeks European airspace. And if it was accidentally, it was a mistake, there has been plenty of time for Russian Federation to apologize and say, sorry, we made a mistake. Instead, we see a pattern. Russia is testing European borders, probing our resolve, undermining the security of the whole of Europe. Russia will continue to provoke as long as we allow it. Therefore, the United Nations and the international community must clearly condemn such actions. It is a breach of the UN Charter, which obliges all states to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other countries. And it is particularly cynical that the permanent member of the UN Security Council entrusted with safeguarding peace actively seeks to undermine it. Russia's aggression against Ukraine continues, and now it is extending provocations against the European Union members. Russia hopes that it might force us to draw our focus away from supporting Ukraine and focus solely on our own security. Well, let me be very clear. European security starts with Ukraine. And any provocation against EU member states will only strengthen our resolve to support Ukraine. I say this openly to Russian representative in this room. Your government's actions are reckless, dangerous, and go against the very principles of the United Nations. Our response is united and firm. First, we stand in full solidarity with Estonia, Poland, and Romania. Second, we collectively condemn Russian sovereignty violations. And third, the European Union will continue to help strengthen European defence and deterrence together with NATO. And fourth, for every test or every violation of our security, our resolve to support Ukraine grows. Russia cannot be allowed to normalise such behaviour. International law is not optional. The sovereignty and security of one Member State is sovereignty and security of all. I call on you to condemn Russia's violation of Estonia's airspace. Thank you.

I thank her Excellency Ms. Kallas for the statement. And I give the floor to his Excellency, Mr. Radoslaw Sikorski, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland.

Mr. President, Excellencies, this emergency Security Council meeting has been called because a mere week after Russia sent drones into Poland, three Russian MiG 31 fighter jets, with their transponders off, entered Estonian airspace without authorisation and lingered for 12 minutes. On the same day, two Russian fighter jets violated the security zone over the Polish drilling platform in our economic zone in the Baltic Sea. If these were accidents, why not immediately acknowledge them and apologize? We have given Russia a pass in the past in such circumstances. But we have not heard any apologies, only lies. Together with the intensification of attacks on Ukraine, they seem to be an eloquent comment on, quote, moving from confrontation to dialogue, end quote, promised by Vladimir Putin in Alaska. These breaches of airspace are suspect because they are an escalation of hybrid war which Russia has waged against the West for years. murders of politicians, journalists, human rights defenders and defectors, cyber attacks against hospitals and financial institutions, arsons including in Poland, the UK and Lithuania, postal packages containing incendiary devices all over Europe, including Germany, attacks on Ukrainian embassies, in addition to standard espionage and disinformation. Excellencies, This Council has a responsibility to send a clear message that such provocations will not be tolerated. It must stand in solidarity with Estonia, Romania, Poland, and all nations whose sovereignty is threatened by systemic Russian aggression. To the representatives of Russia, I have this to say. We know you don't care for international law and you are incapable of living in peace with your neighbors. Your insane nationalism contains a lust for domination that will not cease until you realize that the age of empires is over and that your empire will not be rebuilt. Every drone strike by the heroes of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, may God bless them, brings this day closer. Your three-day special military operation can't even conquer Donbas for ten years now. But the potential for criminal, catastrophic Russian mistakes is still there. By ordering mobilization in 1914, you precipitated the start of World War I, which bled Europe white and led to your Bolshevik revolution. By signing the Hitler-Stalin pact, you helped launch World War II, the bloodiest in history. By Sovietizing Central Europe, you caused the Cold War. Don't start another one. We are peaceful democracies who have studiously avoided actively joining your attempt to reconquer Ukraine. But we will not be intimidated. I have only one request to the Russian government. If another missile or aircraft enters our space without permission, deliberately or by mistake, and gets shot down and the wreckage falls on NATO territory, please don't come here to whine about it. You have been warned. Thank you.

I thank His Excellency Mr. Sikorski for the statement. I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Johann Wadephul, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of Germany.

Mr. President, 12 minutes. 12 minutes in which three Russian fighter jets brazenly ventured into Estonian airspace. 12 minutes in which they made their way almost to the Estonian capital, Tallinn. What happened early Friday morning marked a further dangerous escalation by Russia. The incursion came just over a week after more than 20 Russian drones had entered Polish airspace. Once again, in Estonia, Russia violated, without any provocation, the territorial integrity of one of its neighbors, and thus, one of the fundamental principles of the UN Charter. We condemn this grave violation of international law. This is not the behavior of a state seeking to preserve global peace and security, but one of recklessly disregarding international norms. Together with our partners, Germany stands firmly in solidarity with Estonia. We stand together against those who seek to use military coercion to undermine our sovereignty, freedom, and solidarity. The most recent alarming incidents bring to light two significant insights. First, Russia's ongoing aggression is not only directed against Ukraine and its people. Rather, in its reckless behavior, Russia poses a serious danger to regional security as well as to global peace and stability. Second, there were many initiatives for negotiations, most recently under the strong leadership of the United States. Ukraine is ready to engage and has repeatedly offered an immediate and unconditional ceasefire. Nonetheless, Russia has repeatedly chosen not only to continue, but to intensify its aggression. This must end. Let there be no doubt, reckless provocations will not work. This is not just a problem for Russia's immediate neighbors. This is a problem for all of us, united here in our commitment to the UN Charter and its principles. Germany stands for these principles. Russia does not. We will not rest until a sustainable and just peace in Ukraine is achieved, a peace that is rooted in the principles of the UN Charter and negotiated with Ukraine sitting at the table. An unconditional ceasefire is urgently needed to stop the bloodshed and to lay the foundation to build trust for sincere negotiations. The people of Ukraine, as well as the people of Estonia and Poland, just as the people of every country, have the right to live in peace and security. It is our shared responsibility as UN member states to hold those accountable who endanger peace and security. I thank you.

I thank His Excellency Mr. Ravindofu for the statement. I now give the floor to His Excellency Mr. Andriy Sybigha, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

Mr. President, thank you for organizing this important meeting. Just ten days ago, this Council held an emergency meeting requested by Poland after being intruded by 2,000 Russian drones. Today, we are meeting at the urgent request of Estonia after three Russian jets violated its airspace. What's next? Which other emergency meeting will we have to hold in the coming weeks? Who will be the next country dealing with Russia's provocations? None of these developments were accidental. No, Moscow does this on purpose. A country occupying a permanent seat in this council is destroying international peace and security it is supposed to maintain. The logic is simple. Russia escalates to force everyone to play by its rules. It wants to impose the law of the jungle upon everyone, might make right. Our goal is the opposite. We must make Russia play by our rules. We have such rules accepted by everyone. They called the UN charter. It is important that existing tools to be in the Security Council meeting or invocation of NATO Article 4 are actively used. However, political action should be backed by strong practical steps. Weak or late responses will only encourage further aggression. Europe is not at war with Russia, but Russia is at war with Europe. And the only way to safeguard peace is to respond with strength and unity. The best way to prevent a larger war in Europe is to increase support for Ukraine. If you help us end this war sooner with respect to the UN Charter, Russia will not expand it to other nations. Mr. President, a strong response means that the threat should not be escorted neither for 12 minutes nor for one minute. It should be neutralized. Reiterate our readiness for air defense integration. This is our European sky over Ukraine and other European nations. This is our common security space. and we must have a common sky shield to protect us all. Ukraine is the only country in the world countering regular massive air attacks of more than half a thousand drones and missiles, and we are ready to share experience and join forces. An integrated European air defense system combining intelligence, early warning and active interception is essential. We have the capabilities, experience and alliances, but action must be decisive, adequate and swift. Other elements of a strong response include devastating sanctions, pressure and strong deterrence packages for Ukraine. The Russian war machine can only be stopped through strength, not weakness. Wait and see is not a strategy. Let's abandon wishful thinking. Russia poses an existential threat to Europe and it will not disappear if we close our eyes. Ukraine has learned many bitter lessons in the past. What we know, what we now see in Poland and Estonia reminds of how Russian aggression against Ukraine started. Hybrid attacks and escalation, unmarked soldiers, violations of state border and other steps. We can see this pattern repeating but in another forms. The only effective way to counter this escalation is to respond with strength and unity. In conclusion, we reiterate that aggression against any European nation threatens the security of all. Only united action can prevent escalation and preserve peace in Europe. We stand in solidarity with our friendly Estonia, with the Estonian government and people, and we are ready to contribute to our shared security. Thank you.

I thank His Excellency Mr. Sibihah for the statement. I now give the floor to Her Excellency Mrs. Oana-Silvia Toiu, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Romania.

Mr. President, thank you for this opportunity to take the floor at this emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, where we meet again to defend the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity. I also want to thank Assistant Secretary General Miroslav Jenka for his briefing. Outside the Council chamber, our conversations focus on the UNAT and the importance of fundamental principles enshrined in the UN Charter. It is dismaying that one permanent member of the Security Council is out of sync and blatantly violates these principles. Russia has repeatedly violated the sovereign airspace of European countries. Now it is Estonia. Last week it was Romania. Before that, Poland. In the case of Romania, in most of these cases, there were involved drones of Iranian origin. We strongly condemn Russia's reckless and dangerous behavior, which directly endangers even more international peace and security. We stand together with Estonia, Poland, and our partners and allies in rejecting such behavior and defending key principles of the charter and international law. Today, I speak on behalf of Romania. We are the country with the largest border with Ukraine of all its peaceful neighbors, and one of the countries whose sovereign airspace was tested by Russia on various occasions since its war of aggression against Ukraine. At the same time, the war triggered by Russia might affect security in the Black Sea unless, together with our neighbors, together with our international partners, We invest in defensive and early warning instruments such as common maritime security approach, both within the European Union, among the Black Sea participants and NATO. We need to address the insecurity in this key region of Europe with global relevance. that affects maritime security, commercial shipping lanes, both regionally and globally, as well as access to vital goods to our markets, including grains, key commodities, and food supplies. Even a perceived lack of reaction from the international community, especially this Council, might encourage future provocations. But we can also do the opposite and discourage them. We need to firmly reject once and for all this unjustified and unprovoked aggression against Ukraine. We all want peace, but that also means that we need strength, and strength is achieved together. Mr. President, within the international community, most of the world nations are aligned to the need to protect the principles of the UN Charter. We join previous speakers called Russia to stop all provocations and threats against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of other states. Russia should not be emboldened to continue such behavior. In this context, my government welcomes the efforts undertaken by the United States, the European Union, and world leaders to put an end to Russia's war of aggression and especially respects the effort of Ukraine and we stand together for peace. Action is of essence now. Thank you, Mr. President.

I thank her Excellency, Mrs. Stoijew for the statement, and I give the floor to his Excellency, Mr. David van Vliet, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister for Asylum and Migration of Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Thank you, Mr. President, and I have the honor to speak on behalf of the Benelux countries, Belgium, Luxembourg, and my own country, the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Benelux countries welcome that the Council urgently addresses these unprovoked violations of Estonian airspace. We condemn these violations in the strongest possible terms. It is yet another clear and unacceptable violation by Russia of the territorial territory of a sovereign nation. And this is not an isolated incident. It cannot be ignored. It has been less than two weeks ago that in this very Council you discussed the violation of Polish airspace. And we are, unfortunately, seeing a wider pattern of Russian provocations against its neighbors while Russia continues its full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine. This incident demonstrates that if Russia's aggression remains unchecked, it is bound to repeat itself. We call on this Council and all Member States to make clear that this reckless behaviour is not only unacceptable but also presents clear risks to peace and security. It is imperative that we all protect the UN Charter and international law, and the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all nations must be respected. These are the cornerstones of 80 years of the United Nations. The Benelux countries will defend these principles, standing shoulder to shoulder with Estonia. The path to peace is clear. The Russian Federation needs to end its war of aggression in Ukraine and choose the path of meaningful negotiations for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace. And all the members of this Council and all UN member states have a responsibility to play their role in safeguarding global stability. That means holding Russia back from further destabilising international peace and security in the interest of us all. Thank you, Mr. President.

I thank His Excellency Mr. Van Hiel for the statement. I now give the floor to Her Excellency Ms. Maria Malmo Sjrenegard, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden.

Thank you, President. I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the five Nordic states, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and my own country, Sweden. President, the Nordics condemn Russia's serious violation of Estonian airspace and thus of its territorial integrity on the 19th of September. The Nordics stand in full solidarity with Estonia. Like our Baltic friends, the Nordic region shares a long border with Russia. We are deeply concerned about Russia's lack of respect for the territorial integrity of its neighbors. By violating Estonian airspace, Russia has again shown its reckless and lawless behavior. Not even two weeks ago, the Security Council convened in another emergency session following Russia's violation of Poland's airspace. Since then, Russia has also violated Romania's airspace. We urge Russia to immediately stop and to bear its responsibility as a permanent member of this council. Russia's recent airspace violations and its broader campaign of malicious activities against other countries illustrates the seriousness of Russia's threat to international security. It only strengthens our resolve in facing this threat by upholding our sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as further intensifying our longstanding support to Ukraine. Over the past weeks, Russia has increased its attacks against Ukraine. Last week alone, Russia launched more than 1500 strike drones, 1280 guided aerial bombs and 50 missiles against Ukraine, according to Ukrainian reports. These are not the actions of a country that seeks peace. The Nordic countries support a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on the UN Charter and international law. A peace must respect Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. President, we need to remind ourselves that Russia is waging a war of aggression against Ukraine in blatant violation of international law. Russia could end. its war tomorrow. Until it does, the Nordics stand undeterred in face of Russia's illegal actions. I thank you.

I thank Her Excellency Ms. Malme Steingard for the statement. I now give the floor to Her Excellency Ms. Babija Bratz, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Latvia.

Mr. President, I deliver this statement on behalf of two Baltic states, Lithuania and my own country, Latvia. I thank the Presidency of the Council for convening this meeting, and I thank Assistant Secretary General Jentsch for the briefing. Lithuania and Latvia stand in full solidarity with our neighbor and ally Estonia. On 12 September, this Council strongly condemned the violation of Polish airspace by a massive Russian drone incursion. We expressed our full solidarity with Poland at that meeting, and we warned of the risk of further provocations by Russia. Now it is Estonia calling this meeting in response to another grave and deliberate escalation by Russia. Mr. President, Europe has witnessed a growing number of Russia's non-conventional attacks, ranging from GPS jamming, sabotage, attempts to place explosives on DHL planes, to drone excursions, incursions. Russia's war in Ukraine and Russia's flagrant violation of Estonia's airspace once again demonstrates Russia's complete disregard for the authority of this Council and also for the demands expressed by the international community in numerous UN General Assembly resolutions. And, Mr. President, let me say we are not facing a Ukraine crisis. We are faced with a Russia crisis. As we speak at this emergency meeting, Russia continues to target and destroy Ukrainian cities, critical civilian infrastructure, kill innocent civilians, medical personnel, children, women, all in pursuit of a land grab. Contrary to the efforts of the President of the United States and European and Ukrainian partners, Russia doesn't seek peace. Russia's imperial and colonial ambitions brutally violate UN Charter. Remember Georgia in 2008, Crimea in 2014, and then the full-scale aggression against Ukraine since 2022. Mr. President, today in 1939, Soviet and Nazi forces held a joint military parade to celebrate invading and partitioning Poland. We will never accept Russia's attempts to attack, dominate, intimidate, or establish a sphere of influence over its neighbors. Empires are dead. We, the free and democratic countries, will continue to invest in our deterrence, defence, resilience. We are working closely with our allies to deploy additional capabilities to ensure that future Russian provocations are not tolerated. And we are the Council to continue to be engaged on upholding international peace and security.

We are committed to it.

Yet, Ironically, again, it is the aggressive, revanchist behaviour of Russia, permanent member of this august Council, who is gravely undermining global security. So Latvia and Lithuania call on this Council and all UN Member States to condemn Russia's aggressive actions in the strongest terms. I thank you, Mr. President.

I thank Her Excellency Ms. Baiba Bratzef for the statement. There are no more names inscribed on the list of speakers. The meeting is adjourned.