Maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine - Security Council, 10212th meeting Security Council Date: 24 August 2026 Language: English Transcript: https://transcripts.un.org/en/sc/10212 Transcripts available through this tool are created by using automatic speech recognition and are not official records nor official documents of the United Nations. Official records and official documents are available on the Official Document System of the United Nations. --- Denmark · President of the Council · Lars Rasmussen [17:20]: But he will probably first attend when we... The 10,212th meeting of the Security Council is called to order. The provisional agenda for this meeting is maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine. The agenda is approved. In accordance with Rule 37 of the Council's provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representatives of Iceland, Lithuania, Poland, Romania 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 The following briefers to participate in this meeting, Ms. Rosemary Di Carlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, and Mr. Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator. It is so decided. In accordance with Rule 39 of the Council's provisional rules of procedure, I also invite Her Excellency Ms. Hedda Samson, Deputy Head of the Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations to participate in this meeting. It is so decided. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of item two of the agenda, and I now give the floor to Under Secretary General Rosemary DiCarlo. Please. UN · Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs · Rosemary Di Carlo [18:56]: Mr. President, today marks four and a half years since the Russian Federation launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in blatant violation of the Charter of the United Nations and international law. For four and a half years, this war has brought death, destruction, and displacement on a devastating scale. And the toll on civilians continues to rise. In July, more civilians were killed in Ukraine than in any month since May 2022. Even more disturbing, last month, at least 17 boys and girls were killed and 166 more children were injured. This is the highest number of child casualties in one month since April 2022. The number of civilian casualties reported in August thus far indicates that this deeply troubling trend is continuing. Since our briefing to the Council last month, the Russian Federation has intensified large-scale strikes on Ukrainian civilians and civilian infrastructure. Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, and the surrounding region have again endured some of the heaviest bombardments to date. Overnight on 19-20 August, the Russian Federation launched another large-scale attack involving ballistic missiles and long-range drones. According to Ukrainian authorities, at least 17 civilians were killed and more than 40 injured, while residential buildings, a school, a children's hospital, and other civilian infrastructure were damaged. On 4-5 August, at least 18 civilians were killed and 61 injured in another attack, including eight people killed on the railway station platform in Buvratsky district. During the night of 31 July-1 August, nine people were killed and 33 injured in Kyiv, according to information verified by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Beyond Kyiv, civilian casualties continue to be reported daily across the country. Just yesterday, two people were reportedly killed and five injured in a Russian drone strike on a passenger train in Kharkiv region. On Friday, 21 August, 16 people reportedly killed and at least 140 wounded in a Russian drone strike on the largest shopping center in the city of Kryvyi Rih. At least 23 children were reportedly among the injured. This despicable attack was a so-called double tap strike with a second drone hitting the location just as the emergency workers rushed in to help. The same day in Mykolaiv region, four people, including three children, were reportedly killed in a Russian drone strike that struck a building housing a shop, post office, and pharmacy. In total, since February 2022, OHCHR has verified that at least 16,874 civilians, including 820 children, have been killed in Ukraine. 51,273 civilians, including 3,126 children, have been injured. The actual figures are likely significantly higher. I reiterate the Secretary-General's strong condemnation of attacks by the Russian Federation against civilians and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. Mr. President, the Secretary-General has also expressed his deep concern about the continued escalation of the conflict, including onto the territory of the Russian Federation. In this regard, he condemned recent drone strikes that have reportedly caused multiple civilian casualties and destroyed civilian infrastructure in the Russian Federation. Just this Saturday, six people were reportedly killed in an overnight Ukrainian drone attack that hit energy, industrial, and commercial warehouse facilities across the Russian Federation. Earlier, in one of the deadliest incidents, on 10 August, Russian authorities reported that 13 people were killed and 78 injured in a drone attack in Nizhnekamsk in the Republic of Tatarstan. And earlier this month, on 3 August, Russian authorities reported that eight civilians were killed and at least 58 others injured, including children, when drone debris fell on a beach in Krasnodar region. In total, from January to July 2026, Russian authorities reported 329 civilians killed and 2,197 injured in the Russian Federation. This represents a 119% increase compared with the same period last year. International humanitarian law is clear. Attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure are prohibited wherever they occur, and they must stop immediately. Mr. President, the impacts of the war continue to be felt in the broader region. Incidents of airspace incursions in neighboring countries are becoming more frequent. Recently, Latvia, Moldova, and Romania were affected. I also want to express my our deep concern at the continuing widespread attacks in the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, despite global calls to protect freedom of navigation. Russian strikes on Ukraine's ports, grain and shipping infrastructure, as well as on civilian vessels, have sharply curtailed commercial shipping, including a vital grain to and from Ukraine. With agriculture accounting for approximately 60% of Ukraine's exports and around 7% of its GDP, these attacks pose a serious threat to Ukraine's economic stability. Ukrainian attacks have also caused damage to Russian vessels, ports, and grain facilities. These strikes are a stark reminder of the persistent global consequences of the war. Prolonged disruption to maritime exports risk driving up food prices and add an additional burden on developing countries who are dependent on imports and already struggling with food insecurity. The warning signs are already visible. According to the Food and Agricultural Organization, international cereal prices rose by 3.4% in July. I reiterate the Secretary-General's call on all concerned to ensure freedom of navigation in accordance with international law, and to protect civilian ports and maritime infrastructure. Such attacks must stop to prevent yet another dangerous escalation. Mr. President, we welcome the recent exchange of prisoners of war on 19 August, which brought home 103 captives from each side. However, we remain gravely concerned about the detention of remaining prisoners of war and civilian detainees. OHCHR continues to document widespread torture and ill treatment of Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilian detainees held by the Russian Federation. All those interviewed described having endured torture or ill treatment, often on a regular basis. The interviews further indicate that sexual violence remains prevalent. OHCHR has recorded the death of 48 Ukrainian prisoners of war since the start of the full scale invasion because of torture or ill treatment in places of internment. At the same time, approximately half of Russian prisoners of war interviewed by OHCHR have provided accounts of torture or ill treatment. remind the sides of their obligations under international humanitarian law. All prisoners of war must be treated humanely. We urge redoubled efforts to secure and release all of the remaining captives for their sake and for that of their families. Mr. President, today marks the 35th anniversary of Ukraine's independence. At this extraordinarily difficult moment in the country's history, the United Nations continues to stand in full solidarity with the people of Ukraine. We reaffirm our consistent, principled, and unwavering commitment to and respect for the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders. On this day, our thoughts are with the millions of Ukrainians whose lives have been upended by the war, those who have lost loved ones, those driven from their homes, and those who continue to live under the daily threat of violence. Beyond the immense human cost in Ukraine and increasingly in the Russian Federation, this war continues to undermine regional peace and security. It remains an affront to the fundamental principles that underpin international peace and security enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. Four and a half years after the full-scale invasion began, the need to end this war could not be more urgent. The path to peace will not be easy. But the alternative, a continuing cycle of death, destruction, suffering, and ever greater escalation is intolerable. Without immediate steps to end the current dangerous spiral, starting with ceasing all attacks against population centers, millions of Ukrainians face the prospect of yet another bleak, cold, and deadly winter. We must mobilize every available diplomatic effort to de-escalate the conflict and achieve a full, immediate, and unconditional ceasefire leading to a just, lasting, and comprehensive peace in Ukraine in line with international law, the UN Charter, and relevant UN resolutions. And the United Nations stands ready to support all meaningful efforts to this end. Thank you, Mr. President. Denmark · President of the Council · Lars Rasmussen [30:09]: I thank Under Secretary DiCarlo for her briefing, and I'll give the floor to Mr. Tom Fletcher. UN · Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator · Tom Fletcher [30:20]: Mr. President, Foreign Minister Rasmussen, as you heard from USG DiCarlo, July was the deadliest month for civilians in Ukraine in over four years, with at least 437 killed and more than 2,600 injured. In the first half of the year, civilian casualties rose 37% compared to last year. So the war is not static. Of course, statistics do not capture the daily suffering. I spent last week in Ukraine. In Kherson, I witnessed how drone warfare is dismantling civilian life. The area has become a dystopian landscape of kill zones and kamikaze drones, with roads and buildings draped in anti-drone netting. Our colleagues and the local population have become experts in the sound and lethality of different models. We've seen a 60% increase in first-person view, FPV, drone attacks this year. often with civilian victims. Huge resources are now directed towards subterranean schools and hospitals as people prepare for a chilling future underground. In Kherson hospital, a kilometer from the river that marks the front line, 70% of its civilian patients are being treated for blast injuries, predominantly from FPV drones. Doctors there are now accustomed to frequent mass casualty events involving civilians. I met a man recovering from an FPV attack while he was selling fruit, another who'd lost both limbs, requiring three operations and 17 blood transfusions. Across the river in Russian-controlled areas, civilians also endure the threat of drones. Drones have a persistent humanitarian impact. Civilians live in constant anxiety, knowing drones are being used to track, observe, and strike them with little warning. Drone operators appear to feel detached from their victims and from the law, but neither the weapon nor the distance diminishes the unequivocal obligations under international humanitarian law, regardless of the weapon or the party, to protect civilians and civilian objects. Drones can, of course, save lives, delivering aid and finding survivors after disasters. Technology that allows us to see and track people with ever greater precision should be used to protect civilians, not to harm them with ever greater precision. The toll is not limited to the front line. My final night in Kyiv was marked by a massive attack that impacted homes, a school, a children's hospital, killing at least 15 civilians. We also remain concerned by reports of civilian casualties and infrastructure damage within the Russian Federation. Mr. President, humanitarian workers face these same dangers and require the same protection. Between January and July, 10 humanitarian workers were killed in Ukraine and almost 40 injured. At least 20 warehouses have been destroyed, erasing millions of dollars in aid. UN convoys have been struck, evacuation vehicles hit while attempting to save civilians. These attacks do more than harm individuals. They deprive the most vulnerable people of help. Humanitarians are the human face of this response, yet many have lost faith in any compliance with IHL to protect them. They're increasingly using other means to mitigate risk. I spent World Humanitarian Day in Ghassan with those who have lost colleagues and family. Despite the obstacles, humanitarians reached over 3 million people in the first half of this year. As winter approaches, we've launched a $358 million winter response plan to provide heat, shelter, and medical care to 2 million people. This requires immediate procurement and pre-positioning of supplies. While humanitarian operations in Ukraine are better supported than other crises, they remain underfunded. Ukraine is a strong model for the humanitarian reset. 70% of funding to our country fund flows to local organizations. However, we need a stronger bridge to long-term recovery. And here, as elsewhere, we need a unified tracking system for donors to replace the unwieldy proliferation of parallel reporting. Mr. President, the escalation of the conflict in the Black Sea is a further troubling development, as USG Decarlo has set out. risking a wider humanitarian impact. It is vital that grain, fuel, fertilisers flow unimpeded. Strenuous diplomacy is needed to contain risks to communities in the region and well beyond. Mr. President, the world knows the devastating impact of this war. The parties know the law. And so as ever, I close with three asks of this Council. First, deferred IHL at a moment when it is increasingly discounted. Civilians and civilian objects must never be targeted. Violations must be credibly investigated. Perpetrators held to account. Impunity cannot be normalised. We need concrete measures that protect humanitarian action, including systems for responding to strikes near convoys, for improved humanitarian notification, and for temporary ceasefires for evacuations. Second, Help humanitarians prepare for the tough winter ahead. If energy infrastructure continues to be targeted, we face the prospect of a much worse humanitarian crisis. Do not allow the international discourse on this war to be dominated by an arms race and work strenuously to get peaceful commerce moving again across the Black Sea. Third, we need robust debate with the states and companies driving this lethal military innovation. The onus of compliance remains with those who develop, deploy, and use these systems. Battlefield technology may evolve at increasing speed, but the rules of war remain firm. The current alliance between the global war economy and the tech industry creates costs that far outweigh the benefits across so many of the conflict zones that I've visited. And as artificial intelligence and autonomy enter the fray, the importance of preserving human judgment in military decision making is even more urgent. Technology is now outpacing accountability. Abandon the rules of war and we all face the chilling reality that Ukrainians face right now. The people I met do not need more tributes to their resilience from us. They need protection, they need relief, and above all, They need this war to end. Thank you, Mr. President. Denmark · Minister for Foreign Affairs · Lars Rasmussen [37:29]: I thank Mr. Fletcher for his briefing. I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Denmark. First of all, I would like to thank Under Secretary General Di Carlo and Fletcher for their important briefings. Excellencies, today is Ukraine's Independence Day, the 25th anniversary of that day in 1991 when Ukraine became an equal member of the family of nations again. So this 24th of August should be a day of celebration in Ukraine. But today also marks four and a half years to the day since Russia launched its illegal full-scale invasion. Ukraine should be entitled, as any country, to live in peace within its recognized borders. But instead, it has no choice but to defend itself against an aggressor trying to redraw borders by force in total violation of the UN Charter. At the end of May, the Secretary-General made an urgent appeal to this Council. The spiral of escalation must stop. An immediate and unconditional ceasefire must be agreed to. While Ukraine has repeatedly offered such a ceasefire, Russia has instead only escalated. With the largely static front line, the Kremlin has dramatically expanded its attacks on Ukraine's cities. Countless missiles, bombs and drones fall on populated areas, on sleeping families, on the elderly, civilians. frantically trying to reach air raid shelters in the three minutes warning before Russia missile strike, on emergency workers helping to free victims from the rubble of apartment blocks, on humanitarian warehouses and on aid workers themselves. Denmark strongly condemns these attacks. They must end. Civilians are protected under international humanitarian law. Excellencies, the scale of humanitarian suffering in Ukraine is truly horrific. The UN has verified that at least 65,000 Ukrainian civilians, including almost 4,000 children, have been killed or injured since Russia's full-scale invasion. Grim record after grim record is broken. First May, then June and July, all surpassing each other as the deadliest month for Ukrainian civilians. Denmark has consistently demanded that international humanitarian law must be respected without exception in Russia's illegal war of aggression. And I will take this opportunity to repeat this demand again today. Fundamental principles must be followed. Proportionality, distinction and military necessity must be applied at all times. Denmark is appalled by the loss of civilian lives anywhere. While Ukraine bears the daily brunt of this deadly war, we see increasingly serious consequences. The repeated airspace violations and drone incidents in the countries in the region are dangerous and absolutely unacceptable and increase the risk of miscalculation. Add to this the many hybrid actions intended to disrupt, intimidate and sow instability across Europe. The wider international community is also feeling the impact. Grain shipments in the Black Sea and port facilities in Odessa are being attacked, threatening global food security and supplies, which are already facing major disruption. The global scale of the war is becoming clear by the day, whether Russia employs Iranian drones or North Korean missiles causing Ukrainian civilian casualties. This senseless war And the endless humanitarian suffering it brings could stop very simple. If Russia would accept the unconditional ceasefire that Ukraine has been offering for over a year now. It's actually very, very simple. If Russia stopped fighting, the war will end. If Ukraine stopped fighting, it will be the very end of the existence of Ukraine. Over the last month, every Council member except Russia has called for an immediate ceasefire. The wider UN membership has called for a ceasefire. And you could ask how many more victims of this senseless war must the world witness before Russia accepts this. Denmark will continue to provide Ukraine with financial and security assistance as it defends itself from Russia's aggression. We will stand firmly with Ukraine. When Russia is destroying civilian infrastructure and energy grids, we will help rebuild them as fast as we can. We will provide lifesaving humanitarian assistance, including through our contributions to the UN, to answer the urgent appeals for help. And we will support Ukraine in sustaining the vital reforms ahead of its entry into the European Union. We will not back down. Denmark and Europe will stand with Ukraine. Because we are unified, the EU has just adopted a hard-hitting sanction package of Russia, in a further effort to bring Russia to the negotiating table, to bring its leaders to their senses. We have no choice but to increase pressure as long as Russia refuses to stop its brutal war of choice. Excellences, in closing, there is no alternative to a just and lasting peace based on the UN Charter. This is the only formula to prevent this war from recurring. Russia remains set on the path of war that can only lead to death and destruction without end. Denmark calls on Russia to abandon this senseless war and accept an unconditional ceasefire, to find a way to live with its neighbours in peace. I thank you. And I will then resume my function as President of the Council. and give the floor to Her Excellency Dace Belbarda, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of Latvia. Please. Latvia · Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs · Dace Belbarda [44:07]: Thank you, Mr. President. First of all, I would like to thank the Danish Presidency for convening this meeting and the Foreign Minister of Denmark for presiding it. I also thank United Nations Under Secretary General Di Carlo and United Nations Under Secretary General Fletcher for their factual briefings. I begin by wishing a happy Independence Day to the brave Ukrainian people. You are an ancient nation with your own rich language and culture dating back many centuries to the traditions of the Kyivan Rus. And we know you will celebrate your independence proudly for many centuries to come. Today, Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political independence are recognized by every country in the world except one. Twelve years and six months ago, Russia illegally invaded and occupied Ukraine's regions of Crimea, Luhansk, and Donetsk. Russia violated its most sacred responsibilities as permanent member of this council. It shattered the core principles of the UN Charter and broke the legally binding agreements it had with Ukraine, both bilaterally and multilaterally. In 2014, Russia began a war of aggression that continues to this day. During the past five Independence Day celebrations, Ukraine has been defending against a full-scale invasion. defending its sovereign land, its freedom-loving people, and its right to determine its own future. What we clearly see today is that Russia is losing this war on the front lines. No military gains, only mounting casualties. And yet, instead of choosing peace, Russia continues to escalate. Russia is escalating its war against Ukrainian civilians. It has the blood of over 68,300 Ukrainian civilians on its hands. Entire families killed in their homes. Recently, people buying groceries and emergency workers shamelessly targeted in a double tap attack on a shopping mall. 20,610 records of possible deportation and forced transfer of children by Russia in an attempt to destroy Ukraine's future. Civilians targeted by drones as human safari. Cities are deliberately deprived of heating and electricity. To respond to these attacks, Latvia calls on all peace-loving nations of the world to increase pressure and sanctions on Russia's missile production ecosystem. Mr. President, Russia deliberately undermines global food security. It targets the UN humanitarian convoys, civilian cargo ships, and vital Black Sea grain routes and ports. leaving millions hungry and increasing food and energy prices for those most in need around the world. Russia is exploiting socially vulnerable populations in Africa, Asia and Latin America, manipulating, coercing and sending thousands of foreign nationals to die in an unwinnable war, oftentimes literally in a matter of minutes. Governments across the world are raising alarm and issuing warnings for Russia to stop. No son or daughter should have to die for the sake of Russia's colonial war of conquest. Russia is now also escalating its reckless and dangerous actions against neighbouring countries and issuing threats against those supporting Ukraine's right to self-defence. We stand united and take Russia's threats and hybrid actions against us and our allies very seriously. We must act together, and we must act with resolve to stop this. Let me be clear, Russia will be held accountable for all the crimes committed. We urge all countries to support international accountability mechanisms, including the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression, to ensure that those responsible for the crime of aggression are brought to justice. Russia will not stop until it is stopped. The time for an immediate, full, and unconditional ceasefire is now. Mr. President, let me end with the words of Gunars Astre, a Latvian nonviolent dissident and political prisoner who spent 15 years in Soviet forced labor camps and was arrested again by the KGB in 1983 for possessing George Orwell's book, 1984. I believe that this time will pass like an evil nightmare. This gives me strength to stand here and breathe. Our nation has suffered a lot and therefore has learned and it will endure this dark time. Seven years after his testimony in court, Latvia's nightmare of Soviet occupation ended. Dear Ukrainian friends, This nightmare too will pass. You will prevail. And we wish all Ukrainians peace, strength and prosperity. Razom do peremohy. Together until victory and beyond. Thank you. Denmark · President of the Council · Lars Rasmussen [50:47]: I thank Her Excellency Ms. Melbade for the statement and I now give the floor to the representative of France. France [50:57]: Mr. President, I welcome your presence, Mr Minister, with us today. And I would like to thank the Danish Presidency for organising this meeting. I also would like to thank the Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo and Mr Tom Fletcher for their briefings. We are meeting at the time when Ukraine is celebrating the 35th anniversary of its independence, declared in 1991. the independence and the borders of Ukraine, which was acted upon by a licit referendum and then recognized by the international community, including Russia, who committed at the time to respect that. The war of aggression launched by Russia against Ukraine more than four years ago is a violation of that recognition and of the Budapest Memorandum. at the time as it is a violation of the principles of the Charter such as the respect of political independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of states. Mr. President, Russia continues this war of aggression which it has initiated in violation of United Nations principles. It continues violation of the international humanitarian law. We saw recently the massive Russian bombings aimed at civilian populations and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. Saturday to Sunday night, once again, the Russian strikes resulted in numerous civilian casualties, in particular in Kryvyi Rih. We condemn these indiscriminate strikes and reaffirm our solidarity with the Ukrainian people. We also condemn the increasingly frequent attacks against the workers and humanitarian installations in Ukraine, including United Nations staff. The brutality of this war of aggression is not just felt by Ukraine. It also impacts the food security worldwide when Russia is targeting agricultural installations in Ukraine and the port infrastructures which are transit points for grain. Millions of people are impacted, in particular in developing countries, are impacted by the illegal war methods that Russia uses. Mr President, Despite this escalation in violence, Russia will not be able to attain its military goals in Ukraine, and it is not possible. It has not broken the resistance of the Ukrainian people, who continue fighting for their freedom and for their independence. thus impeding Russian adventurism. We all know that it's up to Russia to end this, to put an end to this aggression that is being asked by the International Court of Justice in March of 2022. It's up to Russia to react to the proposal of ceasefire sent to it by Ukraine and supported by the vast majority of member states of this council. It is up to Russia to start negotiations in good faith with Ukraine, with the Europeans and the United States so as to have a lasting and peaceful settlement of the conflict. Mr. President, today there was a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing, and France remains resolute in supporting Ukraine for as long as necessary in their exercise of the right to legitimate self-defense. and we will continue supporting efforts for lasting and just peace in line with the principles of the United Nations Charter. I thank you. Denmark · President of the Council · Lars Rasmussen [54:53]: I thank the representative of France for the statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Greece. Greece [54:59]: Mr President, Your Excellency, I would like to welcome you to today's meeting and thank you for convening this important briefing for European security. I would also like to thank Under Secretary General Di Carlo and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher for their remarks. I also welcome the presence of the Vice Minister of Latvia and the participation of Ukraine in the meeting. Mr. President, allow me first to congratulate the people of Ukraine on their Independence Day. Yet, this year's celebration is sadly overshadowed by Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, now entering its fifth year. The harrowing statistics we heard today on the impact of Russia's war of aggression on civilians underscore once again why this war must end. Each month of 2026 has proven deadlier than the last. July 2026 marked the highest civilian death toll since May 2022. Child casualties reached record levels, the highest since April 2022, with 17 children killed and 166 injured. These figures result directly from Russia's use of long-range weapons, drones and aerial bombardments in densely populated urban areas of Ukraine. This pattern of indiscriminate attacks tragically continues into August. Just last week, a combined missile and drone attack on Kyiv and the surrounding region resulted in dozens of casualties, as well as severe damage to residential buildings, schools, and medical facilities. Greece strongly condemns all violations of international humanitarian law. We stress that the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, including energy infrastructure, is not only a legal obligation, but also a moral imperative. The protection of humanitarian personnel is likewise essential to ensuring the delivery of life-saving assistance to civilians in need. We also condemn human rights violations committed against residents of the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and against Ukrainian prisoners of war. We call upon Russia to grant international monitoring mechanisms the necessary access. All parties to the conflict must strictly comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law. Violations must be thoroughly investigated and those responsible held accountable. We reiterate our call for the immediate return of all Ukrainian children who have been unlawfully deported or transferred. We are particularly alarmed by the intensification of Russian attacks against vessels and seaport infrastructure in the Black Sea. These attacks disrupt the transport of oil and agricultural products with serious repercussions for maritime security, energy supplies, international trade and global food security. In July 2026 alone, 39 such attacks were recorded, resulting in the tragic loss of 19 port and vessel personnel. Greece remains willing to further contribute with its fleet to safeguarding maritime food supply chains, as we have done consistently in the past, provided that a predictable safety environment is in place. Energy supply chains must be equally protected. Vessels transporting energy products through the Black Sea in accordance with the law and thereby fulfilling international contracts should not be considered as potential targets. We reiterate our position that freedom of navigation must be fully protected in line with international law as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Furthermore, we remain deeply concerned by the spillover effects of the war and the broader implications for European security, as evidenced by the multitude of security incidents in several EU countries. Mr President, Greece reiterates its wavering commitment to the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders. Borders cannot be changed by force anywhere in the world. We call upon Russia to end hostilities and return to the negotiating table. We reiterate our call for a full ceasefire as a first step towards meaningful negotiations aimed at achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace. Any settlement must be in accordance with international law and the UN Charter, including the principles of respect of sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states. At the same time, we encourage the continuation of confidence building and humanitarian measures, including exchanges of prisoners of war and the release of civilian detainees. Greece, along with its partners, will continue to stand with the Ukrainian people in their fight for a sovereign and independent future. I thank you. Denmark · President of the Council · Lars Rasmussen [1:00:49]: I thank the representative of Greece for the statement. And now I would like to give the floor to the representative of United Kingdom. United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland [1:00:57]: Thank you, Mr. President, and thank you, Undersecretaries General de Carlo and Fletcher. Today is Ukraine's Independence Day. a day to reaffirm the importance of Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the rights of her people to determine their own future, to celebrate the history, culture, and spirit of the Ukrainian people, and to reconfirm friendships and support. First on Ukraine's sovereignty and freedom. For over a decade, Russia has sought to deny Ukraine the rights to sovereignty, territorial integrity, and to determine her own future. Through the illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014, then the full-scale invasion in 2022, and now through intensive attacks on civilians and essential services across Ukraine. Over 17,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed and 52,000 injured since February 2022. 437 killed and 2,610 injured in July alone, the deadliest month for four years as Russia has intensified her attacks, including hundreds of missiles and drones fired against Ukrainian cities. One civilian every 15 minutes. international humanitarian law must be respected. Ukraine's children in particular feel the impact. Since 2022, there have been over 3,900 Ukrainian child casualties. Children have lost families and homes and have spent months sheltering underground. Thousands of children have been forcibly deported. On this day, we remember lives lost and lives upended. And we remember the extraordinary strength that Ukrainians have shown in defending their country, their freedom, and their right of self-determination. Second, on Ukraine's rich culture. Mr. President, as we join Ukraine in celebrating her history, culture, and spirit, Russia damages Ukraine's cultural sites, including Kiev's historic Petrivka Book Market, and the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And in the temporarily occupied territories, Russia has eradicated Ukrainian language education and forced residents to take Russian passports. But Ukraine's history and culture will not be destroyed and her spirit will not be broken. As His Majesty King Charles said in his message to President Zelensky and the people of Ukraine, Today is a day to reflect upon Ukraine's proud history, rich culture, and indomitable national spirit, and to honour the extraordinary fortitude that Ukrainians have shown in preserving the identity and values that define their nation. Third, on friendship and support. United Kingdom Prime Minister Andy Burnham is in Kyiv today. His message to the people of Ukraine is that on Ukraine's 35th anniversary of independence, the Ukrainian people should be in no doubt, the United Kingdom is behind you, today and for as long as it takes. The United Kingdom will continue to stand with Ukraine as she exercises her lawful right to self-defense in accordance with Article 51 of our UN charter. We support Ukraine's call for a full, immediate and unconditional ceasefire and a just and lasting peace. and we urge Russia to commit to the same. Mr. President, Ukraine's future is for Ukrainians to decide. Her language, culture and history will not be erased by attacks or occupation or coercion. Today we celebrate Ukraine and we renew our support for her sovereignty and her freedoms, today and every day, for as long as it takes. Thank you. Denmark · President of the Council · Lars Rasmussen [1:05:11]: I thank the representative of the United Kingdom for the statement and I will give the floor to the representative of Panama. Panama [1:05:18]: Thank you very much, Mr. President. It is an honour to address you once again as Minister for Foreign Affairs of Denmark and to welcome you to this Council as part of Denmark's Presidency. Moreover, we recognise the presence of Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of Latvia, who honors us with her presence. We are grateful to Ms. Rosemary DiCarlo, Under Secretary General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, and to Mr. Tom Fletcher, Under Secretary General. for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator for their invaluable briefings on the situation on the ground in Ukraine. This Council has now met 34 times since 2025 to consider the situation in Ukraine. The meeting which brings us together today coincides with the 35th anniversary of Ukraine's independence. This is a celebration which invites us to recall that sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity of states are fundamental principles of the international order enshrined in the United Nations Charter. These principles transcend any conflict and protect or must, or rather should and must protect all nations equally. Once again, we wish to express before this body our concern at the more than four years of conflict in Ukraine, a conflict which has intensified to become an unending cycle of attacks and responses which exacerbate the suffering of civilians and hamper efforts designed to achieve a peaceful resolution in accordance with the United Nations Charter. Panama refuses to normalise this situation and repudiates attempts to do just that. Long-range weapon attacks against urban centres continue to primarily affect civilian civilians. Recent reports account, document rather, record numbers of dead and wounded. In light of this tragedy, our most sincere condolences go to the families of all victims. Moreover, acts targeting energy and port infrastructure as well as vessels disrupt the international flow of supplies across the Black Sea and imperil global supplies of goods that is sparking a sharp spike in prices and rendering international stability yet more fragile still. President, turning to another matter, we must hail the invaluable work done by UN agencies in Ukraine. We condemn all acts targeting humanitarian personnel and the facilities they use to conduct their operations. We reiterate the need to guarantee full, safe and unfettered access to all territories affected. Panama reiterates its appeal for the establishment of an immediate and verifiable ceasefire, a ceasefire in which all parties fully uphold their obligations pursuant to international law and international humanitarian law. This ceasefire must also see them commit to implementing resolution 2774 2025 of the security Council might cannot Triumph over right peace cannot be built if we cast aside the very principles we claim to preserve a just and lasting solution must be rooted in the charter of the United Nations thank you. Denmark · President of the Council · Lars Rasmussen [1:08:48]: I thank the representative of Panama for the statement and I'll give the floor to the representative of Russian Federation. Russian Federation · Mr. Nebenza [1:08:57]: Mr. President, Mr. Minister, today the members of the Security Council once again have to participate in a meeting convened by European colleagues and Ukraine with clearly distributed roles and carbon copied speeches with anti-Russian narratives. It's particularly ironic that representatives of those states that have been arming Ukraine for years, consistently turning it into an instrument of military political pressure to be exerted on Russia and encouraging Kiev's refusal to implement the previously reached Minsk agreements, and happily watching in impatient anticipation, anticipating the strategic defeat of Russia. They are trying to act as the main champions of peace. And today, without batting an eyelid, they assure those present that they are not participants in the conflict, that they are just helping Ukraine to defend itself. Today's meeting is being held under the loud sign of the 35th anniversary of Ukraine's independence. But is there anything to celebrate? Over these decades, under the leadership of its various rulers, the country has been brought to the brink. Those who shouted loudly about the independence and brilliant prospects for Ukraine, in fact, they willingly or unwillingly destroyed it. And its current dictator, the so-called president of peace, has been especially successful in this, although he's already outdated. With the most active participation of the countries of the collective West, claiming to be civilized and democratic, Ukraine was turned into a Zelensky concentration camp in which there is a complete ban on any dissent and opposition. And people who find the courage to voice an alternative viewpoint are sent to prison or physically destroyed without any trial or investigation. Unprecedented persecution of canonical orthodoxy is accompanied by cruel beatings of clergy and parishioners. History is being intensively rewritten. The legacy of the Soviet Union is being denigrated and Hitler's acolytes and collaborators who exterminated hundreds of thousands of Russians, Jews, Poles and Ukrainians during World War II are praised. And not only the Russian language is being infringed upon, everything that is connected with their common past is being exterminated. The Kiev authorities are demonstrating a truly visceral Russophobia and xenophobia, including, in fact, towards their own citizens who are Russians not only by blood but also by their cultural code. The wretchedness of the Kyivan rulers is seen more than anywhere else in this seemingly ridiculous example. The Russian animated series Masha and the Bear fell under sanctions in Ukraine because it allegedly promotes Russian militaristic narratives. Mr. President, having failed to achieve the desired results on the battlefield, the Kyiv regime has finally slipped into outright terror against the civilian population of Russia. And at the same time, Zelensky continues to beg his Western patrons for new batches of weapons and ammunition, which are used to strike against Russian cities, residential areas, and civilian infrastructure. The calculation here is obvious. It is to intimidate people, to sow chaos, and destabilize the situation inside Russia. It is terror that has become the last resort for Kiev in their attempt to change the situation that is not currently in its favor. The scale of these crimes speak for itself. From August 2-16 alone, 475 civilians became victims of attacks by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, 406 people, including 16 children, were injured, 69 people, including three children, were killed. At least 7.2 thousand ammunition rounds were fired at civilian targets in Russian territory. The attack on Nizhnekamsk was particularly monstrous. 13 dead, including a child, 78 wounded. In Novorossiysk, three civilians were killed, including an eight-year-old boy, and another 24 people injured. Five people died in the Rostov region. In Kremennaya, a Ukrainian drone killed a 13-year-old teenager. Drones attacked an electric train in Ilavsk. public transport stop in Donetsk, a medical institution in Yasnaya and an ambulance team in Rubizhne. After that, Kiev's patrons have no grounds to talk about accidental consequences or collateral damage. When residential buildings, children, doctors and passenger transports are systematically hit, this has a very specific name. It's called terror against the civilian population. And after this, lamentations about strikes on the military infrastructure of the Kiev regime, which produce weapons that hit civilian targets in Russia with the money and with the direct assistance of Western sponsors, they look strange. Of particular concern is a dangerous game the Kyiv regime is playing around the Zaporizhzhia NPP. On August 11, three Ukrainian UAVs attacked the station's vehicles, injuring two people. On August 18, a strike on a bus stop, which is being used by the ZNPP personnel, led to the death of one person and the injury of another 17 workers. Another provocation was the essential disruption by the Zelensky regime of the trip of IAEA Director General Grossi to the ZNPP scheduled for August 2021. Despite the security guarantees provided by Russia, Kiev said that it couldn't vouch for the safety of the Director General when traveling through Russian territory and forcing him thus to abandon the visit. Earlier, the Ukrainian side has already disrupted the rotation of experts and the silence regimes necessary for repair work. It seems that Western patrons, not to mention Zelensky himself, still harbor the dangerous illusion that further escalation, strikes deep into our territory, and terror against the civilian population will force us to agree to the ultimatum that's being pushed under the guise of peace. The negotiation demands that are being put forward to us look strange, to say the least. It's as if it is Russia, not Ukraine, that's being defeated on the battlefield and must agree to any conditions. The Russian armed forces retain the initiative and are confidently moving forward. In just four days, August 16 to 19, seven population centers in the DPR, Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv regions were liberated. We continue to methodically undermine the military potential of the Kiev regime. From August 15 to 21st, they carried out one massive and nine group strikes with high-precision weapons and attack UAVs on military infrastructure facilities. In the same period, 14 sea vessels used in the interest of the armed forces of Ukraine were hit, including two tankers, ten dry cargo ships and two patrol boats. And please do not be deceived and do not deceive others under the guise of transporting goods by civilian ships. Western weapons arrive at the ports of Ukraine. Port facilities used to receive and store military cargo and fuel were put out of action. And this is a real picture that Kyiv prefers to ignore, that the Russian army is advancing on the ground and at the same time is depriving the Armed Forces of Ukraine of the ability to supply, produce weapons and continue hostilities. Mr. President, there will be no agreements at the expense of Russia's security interests. No frequency of Security Council meetings on Ukraine will change anything here. Any attempts to impose a freeze on us under the guise of a ceasefire just to give Kyiv a temporary respite to regroup and rearm are doomed to failure. As long as we are being talked to in the language of ultimatums, terror and threats, ignoring the current realities on the ground, there will be no subject for a meaningful political and diplomatic dialogue. I thank you. Denmark · President of the Council · Lars Rasmussen [1:17:42]: I thank the representative of Russia Federation for the statement, and I now give the floor to the representative of Somalia. Somalia [1:17:53]: Mr. President. I thank USG DiCarlo and USG Fletcher for their briefing. I welcome the participation of the Permanent Representative of Ukraine in today's meeting. As we convene today, we remain profoundly alarmed by the intensifying hostilities and the severe deterioration of both humanitarian and security conditions in Ukraine and the region. As we have heard, developments on the ground clearly demonstrate that the longer this conflict persists, the more human suffering is needlessly prolonged and the prospect for achieving a durable, sustainable peace are diminished. Mr. President, our delegation is deeply troubled by the escalation of military actions, including those targeting critical civilian infrastructure. We reiterate the protection of civilians and critical civilian infrastructure constitutes an absolute non-negotiable obligation enshrined in international humanitarian law. In this regard, we urgently call upon all parties to comply fully with obligations under international humanitarian law and uphold the principles of distinction and proportionality. Mr. President, my delegation notes with encouragement recent positive humanitarian confidence-building measures, particularly the prisoners of war exchange successfully concluded on August 19th. Such milestones serve as a critical reminder that the direct communication channels must remain open to alleviate acute human sufferings and lay the groundwork for broader understanding. We reiterate our full conviction that there is no military solution to this protracted conflict. Each bullet triggered, every rocket and drone unleashed, every life cut short are not just tragedies, they push us even further and farther from any hope for peace. Dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable instrument to bring an end to this conflict. We urge all parties to prioritize immediate de-escalation exercise the utmost restraint and commit to a comprehensive cessation of hostilities. While international diplomatic initiatives face considerable challenges, constructive engagement and renewed diplomatic pathways must be vigorously pursued. Mr. President, a durable, just and comprehensive resolution must address the underlying causes of the crisis and adhere strictly to the purposes and the principles of the United Nations Charter. Sustained peace will demand sincere compromise, mutual confidence building measures, and a shared commitment to common and lasting security. In closing, my delegation reaffirms its steadfast support for all constructive diplomatic initiatives aimed at restoring peace, security, and stability. As Ukraine marks the 35th anniversary of its independence today. The people of Ukraine deserve nothing less than peace, dignity, and a secure future. I thank you. Denmark · President of the Council · Lars Rasmussen [1:21:32]: I thank the representative of Somalia for the statement, and I'll give the floor to the representative of China. China [1:21:41]: President, I welcome Foreign Minister Rasmussen for presiding over today's meeting. I thank USG De Carlo and USG Fletcher for their briefings. The Ukraine issue remains unresolved, with ground fighting intensifying and the humanitarian crisis worsening. Over the past month or so, the two sides have engaged in a new round of intense fighting, causing heavy casualties. and extensive damage to civilian infrastructure, including energy, food, logistics and warehousing facilities, as well as attacks on third party vessels and assets. This is deeply distressing and concerning. Allowing the situation to further deteriorate and escalate will bring more suffering to the people, more destruction to the region and more instability to the world. Against this backdrop, China proposes the following: First, work together to de-escalate the situation. Conflict and confrontation cannot resolve problems. They will only further exacerbate tensions, erode mutual trust, and cause the situation to spiral out of control. China urges the parties concerned to put humanitarian and livelihood concerns first, strictly abide by international humanitarian law, avoid attacking civilians and civilian infrastructure under any circumstances, prevent harm to third-party civilians and civilian assets, and work to de-escalate the situation so as to create conditions for an early ceasefire and end to the fighting. Second, work together to launch the peace process. Dialogue and negotiations are the only viable way to resolve the Ukraine issue. They have currently stalled with major differences remaining among the main parties. China calls on all parties concerned to actively demonstrate political will, strive to start and sustain talks, gradually build consensus, and work toward a comprehensive, lasting and binding peace agreement. The international community should play a constructive role in this regard and join forces to promote peace and dialogue. Third, work together to seek fundamental solutions. The current situation in Ukraine has deep-rooted and complex causes and is essentially an eruption of Europeans security tensions. It has revealed a simple truth, the security of all countries is indivisible. China calls on all parties concerned to take a long-term view, uphold a vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, respect each other's legitimate security concerns, address the root causes of the crisis based on fully, completely and comprehensively upholding the principles of the UN Charter, promote a balanced, effective and sustainable regional security architecture, and truly achieve universal and common security. President, China's position on the Ukraine issue is objective, impartial and consistent. Guided by the four should put forward by President Xi Jinping, we maintain close communication with the parties concerned and the international community, work in our own way to promote peace and dialogue, and support all efforts conducive to a peaceful resolution of the crisis. We stand ready to work with the international community to continue playing a constructive role in advancing a political settlement of the crisis, building greater consensus and fostering a more favorable environment. Thank you. Denmark · President of the Council · Lars Rasmussen [1:25:31]: I thank the representative of China for the statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Bahrain. Bahrain [1:25:39]: Thank you, Mr. President. At the outset, I wish to extend my thanks to Her Excellency, Ms. Rosemary DiCarlo, USG for Political Affairs and Mr. Fletcher, Under Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, for their briefings. I also welcome the participation of His Excellency Mr. Lars Rasmussen, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Denmark, and Her Excellency Ms. Laima Radise, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Latvia, in today's meeting, as well as all the distinguished participants. We congratulate Ukraine on its Independence Day. Mr. President, war is witnessing a concerning expansion in the use of drones and ballistic missiles, which increases the risks of targeting civilians and civilian objects. In addition to widening the circle of violence far from the front lines, this spreads terror among civilians and complicates efforts to achieve security and stability. In this regard, the Kingdom of Bahrain affirms that the targeting of civilians, whatever it occurs, is unacceptable. We express our concern over the potential consequences of the increased use of drones, including the risk of violating sovereign airspace of third countries and the widening scope of the conflict. In this context, the Kingdom of Bahrain calls upon all parties to exercise the utmost restraint and to immediately cease escalation and to give priority to protecting civilian lives and preserving civilian objects and infrastructure. This would create the appropriate conditions for the resumption of diplomatic efforts aimed at achieving a just and sustainable peace in accordance with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and international law. Further, the Kingdom of Bahrain also stresses the necessity of avoiding the targeting of civilian objects and protecting humanitarian personnel and ensuring the safe and unimpeded delivery of humanitarian assistance to those in need. We further underscore the importance of respecting freedom of navigation and ensuring the security and safety of commercial vessels, which contributes to preserving the flow of global trade and enhancing security, stability, and prosperity in the European continent and the world. Mr. President, the Kingdom of Bahrain supports all diplomatic efforts and endeavors aimed at narrowing differences and reaching a peaceful and sustainable solution to this conflict at the earliest time. In this regard, the Kingdom of Bahrain commends the mediation efforts undertaken by the sisterly United Arab Emirates between Russia and Ukraine, which recently resulted in a new prisoner exchange process involving 103 prisoners. This reflects the importance of humanitarian diplomacy in mitigating the repercussions of conflict and building trust among parties. In closing, the Kingdom of Bahrain reaffirms the necessity of reaching a peaceful and sustainable solution to this crisis and the importance of utilizing all available diplomatic channels and platforms to achieve that in a manner consistent with the principles of the UN Charter and international law and within the framework of the effort aimed at implementing Security Council resolution 2774. I thank you. Denmark · President of the Council · Lars Rasmussen [1:29:03]: I thank the representative of Bahrain for the statement and I will give the floor to the representative of Colombia. Colombia [1:29:13]: Thank you, Mr President. We recognise your presence here as Minister for Foreign Affairs. You are presiding over this meeting, and indeed we welcome your convening thereof. We're grateful to Undersecretaries General Rosemary DiCarlo and Tom Fletcher for their briefings, and we also welcome to the chamber the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of Latvia. We also wish to recognize the presence here today of all delegations. Four years after the onset of this conflict, the human cost of it remains devastating. Thousands of civilians have lost their lives and many more have been wounded. At the same time, entire communities are facing the destruction of their homes and critical infrastructure. The report issued by Under-Secretary-General Tom Fletcher allows us to understand the deeply rooted psychological and physical consequences that the hostilities continue to wreak on the civilian population. These consequences affect communities on both sides of the conflict and they reaffirm the need to preserve a safe humanitarian space and the need to guarantee access of assistance to those who need it most. Safe, rapid, sustained and unfettered access of humanitarian assistance to those in need is an obligation whose importance cannot be underestimated. Of particular concern are the effects of new hostilities on port infrastructure and the shipping routes in the Black Sea, as well as the impacts that these may have on trade, supply chains and global food security. The conflict has already demonstrated that its economic and humanitarian effects are not limited to the region itself. Consequently, Colombia appeals to all to avoid attacks against civilian infrastructure. This includes port and energy infrastructure. In view of the fact that winter is just around the corner, any damage done to energy systems is liable to considerably increase humanitarian need and therefore the needs of the civilian population. The intensification of attacks and the ever-increasing range of military targets means that we are at risk of unleashing a greater escalation, as well as increasing tensions in the region and creating dynamics which will be difficult to contain with unpredictable consequences for regional security. Colombia appeals to all parties and all actors involved to act with a solemn sense of responsibility and show the utmost restraint. All must avoid measures liable to render confrontation more bitter or widen the scope of the conflict yet further still. President, the fact that this conflict continues cannot become a reason to abandon diplomacy. It is vital that we step up diplomatic efforts designed to put an end to hostilities. We must lay the foundations for a lasting peace in line with the provisions of the UN Charter and international law. Against this backdrop, It is meaningful to note that specific spaces remain open for cooperation in which the parties are both present. The humanitarian measures recently facilitated by stakeholders demonstrate that even in the midst of hostilities, it is possible to undertake actions which mitigate the suffering of people affected by the conflict. With this in mind, Colombia urges the parties to continue promoting confidence building and humanitarian measures which may reduce the suffering of the civilian population. Colombia will continue to support the parties' search for peace. This peace must be rooted in the United Nations Charter, respect for international law and international humanitarian law, and in the guarantees that will make it possible to avoid the repetition of violence. Thank you, President. Denmark · President of the Council · Lars Rasmussen [1:33:17]: I thank the representative of Colombia for the statement, and I will give the floor to the representative of Democratic Republic of the Congo. Democratic Republic of the Congo [1:33:27]: Mr. President, the Democratic Republic of the Congo would like to thank Denmark for having convened this meeting and would like to wish a warm welcome to the Security Council, to His Excellency Mr. Lars Loker Rasmussen, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Denmark. We welcome your presence. Her Excellency Ms. Darcie Melbarte of Latvia in our deliberations. We also would like to thank the Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Ms. Rosemary DiCarlo, and the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Mr. Tom Fletcher. We thank them for their informative briefings. Mr. President, Given the humanitarian and security situation, which is as worrying as that of Ukraine, the Democratic Republic of the Congo has no alternative other than to reaffirm the primacy of international law and our commitment to the sacred principles of the United Nations Charter. In particular, we are referring to the respect for sovereignty and the territorial integrity of states, the non-use of force, and to the principle of the peaceful settlement of disputes. Our conviction is that peace can only be lastingly constructed, it cannot be done using the weapons, and in the case we are considering here, that is clearly limited. After more than four years of the war, the situation in Ukraine leads to the following acknowledgement that the intensification of military operations did not bring the parties closer to the end of the conflict. In fact, the growing number of offensive and counter-offensives, growing recourse to military means in greater and greater and more sophisticated did not allow to create a decisive force relationship or even less to the attainment by the parties of the objectives. Quite the contrary is true. Each new escalation called for a reaction and each reaction feeds a new escalation, in addition to which we have the human and material costs. For the Democratic Republic of the Congo, this trend shows that there can be no military solution to this conflict and the prolongation of hostilities pushes back further and further the prospect for a political settlement, which is crucial given the current impasse. Mr. President, the first consequence of this impasse is a human cost, which continues growing exponentially. And in this regard, the Democratic Republic of Congo condemns all attacks against civilians and essential infrastructures, whatever their origin. We call on all parties to strictly uphold their obligations under the international humanitarian law, in particular, the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution. My delegation recalls here that the civilian populations cannot and should not, under any circumstances, become an instrument of a military strategy, nor should they become victims of a confrontation intended to last indefinitely. We also recall here that behind every figure there is a human life, there is a family, but also the survivors, generations of men and women whose lives will be lastingly marked by the consequences of this war. It is in this very spirit of protection that we consider with particular gravity the risks that the hostilities are bringing to the safety and security of nuclear installations. Continued confrontation cannot make us diminish the risks of human and environmental consequences. They could be irreversible and go far beyond the borders of the parties to the conflict. No military objective can justify the exposure of entire populations to the prospect of a nuclear incident. Mr. President, the Democratic Republic of the Congo also would like to draw your attention to the particularly worrying consequences of hostilities in the Black Sea. Attacks against port infrastructure, installations that are used for food exports, commercial navigation bring in the risks that go far beyond the theater of the war. For Africa, this issue is neither peripheral nor abstract. Numerous countries on our continent are strongly dependent on the imports of grains and supply chains coming from that region of the world. In a global economy which is deeply interconnected, any perturbation affecting these vital platforms leads to consequences which go beyond the immediate scope of hostilities. For the African economies, which are particularly exposed to food price fluctuations and their transport, their preservation is a direct factor underpinning our economic and social stability. We therefore call on all of the parties to preserve the infrastructures which are indispensable for trade and global food exports. Mr. President, the question which is now in front of the international community is no longer to know how much longer the parties can continue with the hostilities, but rather how can they create the conditions to end it. Given the situations, it is urgent not just to contain the consequences of the war, it is rather for this Council to contribute towards creating the conditions which can put an end to it. And in this context, diplomacy must find its proper place and help us seize the opportunities which exist so as to gradually re-establish exchanges between parties and finally create the space necessary to find a political settlement. It is in this spirit that the Democratic Republic of the Congo calls once again for an immediate ceasefire. and for a resolute commitment to a political process which brings into it the parties directly. We therefore encourage any and all credible initiative which can help with de-escalation, with bringing the parties closer and reopening a pathway to substantive discussions. Mr. President, to conclude, After several years of confrontation, it is necessary to break with the dynamic within which each escalation prepares the next without bringing the parties closer towards a lasting solution. The Democratic Republic of the Congo remains convinced that the only viable outcome is in a negotiated political solution according to the United Nations Charter and with respect to international law principles. It is therefore up to the parties, with the support of the Council and the international community, to create the conditions will help them move closer from the logic of confrontation to the logic of settlement, from the logic of escalation to dialogue, and from prolonging the war to effectively looking for peace. I thank you. Denmark · President of the Council · Lars Rasmussen [1:41:22]: I thank the representative of Democratic Republic of the Congo for the statement, and I'll give the floor to the representative of United States. United States of America [1:41:33]: Thank you, Mr. President, and welcome Foreign Minister Rasmussen to the Council. Also would like to welcome the presence of Her Excellency, Ms. Melbarde, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia. And thank you to Under Secretary DeCarlo and Fletcher for their briefings today. I would like to use this opportunity to congratulate the people of Ukraine as they commemorate their 35th Independence Day. The United States remains committed to Ukraine's future as a sovereign and prosperous nation. We join President Trump in continuing to call for an immediate ceasefire. and good faith negotiations to end the Russia-Ukraine war and return peace and stability to both countries. Death continued to mount, strike after strike. We call on both sides to end any strikes that target or risk damaging civilian vessels. It is senseless to continue to spill blood of innocent civilians When there is no military solution to this war, Russia and Ukraine must return to the negotiating table. The United States will play whatever constructive role part it can. To facilitate talks between Moscow and Kyiv to achieve this outcome. Thank you. Denmark · President of the Council · Lars Rasmussen [1:43:10]: I thank the representative of the United States for the statement, and I'll give the floor to the representative of Pakistan. Pakistan [1:43:21]: Thank you, Mr. President, and we are pleased to see you yet again this afternoon presiding over the council's session. I would like to thank USG DiCarlo and USG Fletcher for their briefings. which present a grim picture of the unfolding humanitarian consequences of the prolonged conflict in Ukraine. The devastating toll of this conflict on civilian populations is as tragic as it is staggering. We deplore the escalation, the scale and intensity of attacks carried out by the parties on multiple fronts, upending lives and livelihoods in the affected regions. And the reports of attacks targeting critical infrastructure related to energy and food supply are also deeply concerning. Such attacks further exacerbate the already fragile global food and energy security, affecting people far beyond the conflict zone. We regret the harm to civilians. damage to civilian infrastructure, and the reported targeting of humanitarian actors and related infrastructure. The protection of civilians, humanitarian personnel, and civilian infrastructure is a fundamental obligation under international humanitarian law and one that must be respected by all parties. Violations of IHL risk further escalation, worsen human suffering and diminish the prospects for lasting peace. President Pakistan supported resolution 2774 tabled by the United States in February last year. And my delegation and others in this chamber have repeatedly called for holding earnest and meaningful dialogue to bring durable peace and stability to the region. This entails eschewing the quest for a military solution. In this context, we reiterate the imperative of an immediate and complete cessation of hostilities, reverting to diplomacy and the resumption of a sincere and structured dialogue for peace. A mutually acceptable peaceful settlement consistent with the purposes and principles of the UN charter corresponding to the legitimate security interests of all sides and the relevant multilateral agreements remains the only viable path to lasting peace. Pakistan will continue to support all endeavors aimed at achieving a just, comprehensive, durable and peaceful resolution of this conflict. I thank you. Denmark · President of the Council · Lars Rasmussen [1:46:21]: I thank the representative of Pakistan for the statement and I'll give the floor to the representative of Liberia. Liberia [1:46:30]: Thank you, Your Excellency. Liberia joins in thanking Under Secretary Generals Fletcher and DiCarlo for their briefings and welcome the participation of the distinguished Permanent Representative of Ukraine. Excellencies, today is the 24th of August. In Liberia, it is our national flag day. In Ukraine, this is Independence Day. In this chamber, it is another briefing on Ukraine. The distance between these two facts is where Liberia begins. Last week, the world marked World Humanitarian Day. Liberia honors humanitarian workers everywhere and reaffirms resolution 2730, which must be measured in protection delivered, not in language agreed. Mr. President, the figures before us represent a troubling uphill slope. July was the deadliest month for civilians in Ukraine since March of 2022. At least 437 killed, more than 2,600 injured, child casualties at their highest since April of 2022, Every month this year has been worse than the one before. Long range weapons caused the largest share of that harm. Most of it far from any front line. This is not a war signaling any indication of winding down. It is a war escalating with new if not renewed intensity. Excellencies, Liberia is not a bystander. The Liberian flag flies over more of the world's than any other flag on earth. Over 300 million gross stones, roughly one in six ocean going ships. Ordinarily, that is a source of national pride. This afternoon, it is a source of national grief. In July, a strike on a Liberian flag merchant vessel in the Black Sea killed her master. Another ship under our flag at anchor off Odessa was struck three times. This month, a Liberian flagged balker approaching a Russian port to load Bali was set alight and her crew evacuated. Vessels under our flag have now been hit approaching Ukrainian ports and approaching Russian ports. We raise this not to a portion blame but because Liberia is, quite literally, the flag state of this world's most invisible civilians. A flag, as you all know, is not a decoration painted on a stern. It is a state's promise that the men and women beneath it will be safe and will not be alone. Liberia intends to keep that promise and urges this council to help us ensure it. The seafarers dying in the Black Sea are Filipinos, Syrians, Indians, Ukrainians, Egyptians. They are not combatants. They are crew. moving greens to countries with no part in this war, including African countries that will feel every turn that fails to arrive. Under your presidency, Excellency, this council will debate food on the fire. This is what food on the fire looks like. A corn carrier burning within sight of shore. Liberia calls on all parties to honor resolution 2417 and to treat shipping, seafarers, and ports as what they are in law, civilians. Mr. President, Liberia's position on the charter has not changed and will not change. Sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political independence must be respected. Civilians must be protected. These are not any continent's exclusive principles. They are, in truth, the terms on which all states, big or small, must continue to exist if our world will know peace. But principles without action to uphold them are mere declarations. Liberia puts these three things to the council. First, we call for an immediate an unconditional ceasefire. And it must remain the only adequate answer. And this is why we continue to demand it. But having waited four and a half years for the adequate answer, we urge the parties to accept a partial one now. A moratorium on long range strikes against populated areas and on all attacks against shipping and ports. That is where the civilian toll is most concentrated. It will save the most lives soonest. It is the easiest to verify and it acts the least trust of parties who are proven to have none at all. Second, that this council stop treating unity as a precondition and start treating it as a product. Agreeing what we can on corridors, medical evacuation, prisoner exchange, the return of children and the safety of the Zaporizhia plant where a catastrophe will respect no border and no ceasefire line. Third, that every credible peace initiative be supported rather than audited for authorship. Liberia does not care who ends this war. We care simply that it ends. The world will be a safer and better place with an end to the war in Ukraine. Mr. President, Liberia does not intend to lecture this council, but we were on its agenda. For 14 years, my country was an item, a report, a matter of grave concern. We therefore know what it is to merely be a matter for discussion. And we know how our war ended. Not because one side ran out of soldiers, but in Accra, Ghana, at a negotiating table among people who despised one another and had reasons to do so. Everything that made peace possible in 2003 in Accra, Ghana existed years before. The only thing that changed in the interval was the number of graves, a dugged contribution, or a dugged continuation sadly created. Ultimately, this war will end at a table. This is not blind optimism. It is real calculus. The only open question is how many names will be inscribed on gravestones before the parties sit down to negotiate peace and security for all. The world has become dangerously efficient at counting the dead and dangerously comfortable with failing to stop the dying. This council was built to end wars, not to curate them. History will not assess us on the precision of our casualty figures, but on whether we found the courage to make them stop rising. In conclusion, your excellencies, tonight, While many of us will go to sleep. And I trust it will be sound and restful. A master under the Liberian flag will be deciding whether it is safe to sail. Tonight, a family in Kakiv will be struggling to decide whether the corridor is safer than the basement. Neither is waiting for our next report or our next debate. I thank you for your kind attention. Denmark · President of the Council · Lars Rasmussen [1:58:22]: I thank the representative of Liberia for the statement and I'll give the floor to the representative of Ukraine. Ukraine [1:58:33]: Mr. President, distinguished members of the Security Council, I would like to express my gratitude to the Kingdom of Denmark, to the Danish presidency of the Council, Foreign Minister Lars Rasmussen for convening this meeting that is devoted to Russia's aggression against Ukraine on this, without exaggeration, sacred day for every Ukrainian. It is today that we mark the 35th anniversary of the restoration of Ukraine's independence. At the same time, I would like to thank Denmark, as well as all our allies and partners, for their steadfast support that we, the Ukrainian people, have been receiving in our struggle to preserve Ukraine's independence. I convey my thankfulness to the delegations of France, Greece, Latvia, and the United Kingdom for supporting today's meeting, and special welcome to Vice Minister of Latvia, Malbarde. I am thankful to Under Secretary General Rosemary DiCarlo and Under Secretary General Tom Fletcher for their sobering briefings, which have revealed yet another level of Russia's barbarism against the civilian population in Ukraine. USG Fletcher just returned, as we heard, from Ukraine, where he has experienced himself the brutality of Russia's cynical attacks against Ukrainian cities and civilians. I take my hat off to him for his courage. Mr. President, before I turn to my statement, allow me to address one important point. Today, we once again heard from the representative of Russia, the familiar lamentations about Ukraine striking targets deep inside Russian territory. Mr. Nebenza is whining again about alleged civilian victims in Russia that cannot be independently verified. he is shedding again crocodile tears. Perhaps I am repeating myself, but let me be absolutely unequivocal. Those who sow the wind will reap the storm. Moscow has unleashed this whirlwind, and it cannot complain now about the tsunami that reaches Russia's shore, sweeping over and engulfing its fragile economy, already weakened to the breaking point. Our reply to all the baseless accusations is very simple. Ukraine is exercising its inherent right of individual self-defense under Article 51 of the Charter against Russia's ongoing armed aggression. The ICJ has made clear on many occasions that the legality of measures taken in self-defense is only governed by the requirements of necessity and proportionality. The court held that self-defense permits measures that are proportional to the armed attack and necessary to respond to it. It stated that one aspect of this criteria is the nature of the target of the force employed in self-defense. And this is directly relevant to Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. The charter does not require a victim of aggression to remain silent and passive while the aggressor's military capabilities are sustained from facilities situated on the aggressor's own territory. The question under international law is not whether a respective facility, a factory or a storage is located on Russian territory. The question is what the particular facility is being used for and whether it constitutes a military objective. Had the Allies confined their military operations to their own territories and refrained from striking the Third Reich on its own soil, it is difficult even to imagine how the Second World War could ever have been brought to an end. Under Article 52, paragraph 2 of the Geneva Additional Protocol I, military objectives are limited to objects which by their nature, location, purpose or use make an effective contribution to military action and whose destruction, capture or neutralization offers a definitive military advantage in the circumstances prevailing at the time. Accordingly, a warehouse, logistics center, industrial facility or distribution hub which is being used to supply the Russian armed forces with military equipment, protective gear, components, vehicles or other material indispensable to Russia's war effort do constitute a military objective depending on the facts established at the time of the attack. Nor does the fact that such an object is located deep inside the Russian Federation make it immune from attack of Ukraine exercising its inherent right of self-defense. And let me turn specifically to Russia's oil infrastructure. Oil refineries, fuel depots, petroleum terminals, pipelines, and other energy facilities can be regarded as military objectives because they are used to produce, refine, store, or distribute fuel for Russia's armed forces, which constitutes an effective contribution to Russia's military action. Therefore, if its destruction or neutralization offers a definite military advantage, that particular facility may qualify as a military objective under Article 52, paragraph two of the Additional Protocol Number One. The same legal test applies to Russia's dual-use infrastructure. And Ukraine's position is absolutely clear. Our armed forces only target military objective that contribute to Russia's war effort, never civilians. And they do so in the exercise of our inherent right of self-defense subject to necessity, proportionality, distinction, and all applicable rules of international humanitarian law. Ukraine takes all feasible precautions to minimize civilian harm. The only person responsible for any damages, for any casualties in Russia, is Mr. Putin alone. And this is where the fundamental difference between Ukraine and Russia lies. Even in this very chamber, Russia continues to feed the distinguished members of the Council with lies about civilians in Ukraine allegedly being killed by the incompetence of Ukrainian air defense. Yet the world has seen in broad daylight Russian drones deliberately striking civilian targets, as they did just a few days ago in the city of Kreberich, that was mentioned, intentionally, I repeat, intentionally hitting the city's largest supermarket with no military objective anywhere nearby. And when rescue operations began, Russia sent a second drone to strike the rescuers at the scene. At least 16 civilians were killed and more than 100 injured, including 23 children. This is the deliberately genocidal, barbaric nature of Russia's war against the Ukrainian people. Mr. President, Ukraine marks this Independence Day with mixed emotions. On the one hand, we feel an extraordinary sense of happiness that for 35 years now Ukrainians have had the blessing of living in a free and sovereign state. For us, it is truly a gift from God, but it is also the result of the struggle of generations of Ukrainians over the course of centuries, generations who dreamt of, fought for, and sacrificed for the fundamental right to live freely in their own and independent country. For us Ukrainians, statehood and independence are not some abstract formalities. They are our greatest national value, the very foundation of our existence as a people. On the other hand, Ukrainians are marking this anniversary against the backdrop of the most barbaric phase of Russia's war of annihilation against our nation. As we have just heard once again, and I'm going to repeat, the esteemed briefers, July 2026 was the deadliest and the bloodiest month for the civilian population in Ukraine since the first month of Russia's full-scale invasion four and a half years ago. Knowing that Ukraine is facing critical shortages of air defense interceptors, Putin has unleashed the most cynical and the most brutal campaign of ballistic terror in modern human history, deliberately targeting ordinary people across Ukraine. Let me remind you that a ballistic missile is not an ordinary weapon. It rises high into the sky, leaving the earth behind. And when it begins to descend from the sky, leaving the earth behind, it hits the ground at several times the speed of sound. And in mere moments, it falls back towards the ground with terrifying force. For those beneath its murderous trajectory, there is no time to react and almost no warning. What arrives from the sky is more than a missile. It is a deadly massive explosive descending with enormous kinetic energy. Just imagine this deadly Russian ballistic missile, the Iskander M, for instance, carrying a warhead of up to 700 kilograms, climbing to an altitude of around 50 kilometers, and then plunging back towards the ground at a speed of up to 9,000 kilometers per hour, literally falling on the heads of civilians in the very heart of Kiev. And believe me, believe me, I know what I'm talking about. I just arrived from Kiev. During my stay, our capital was attacked almost every single night by dozens of such ballistic missiles. And I can assure you, it is a truly terrifying feeling when you simply have no time to reach a bomb shelter. The time between air raid alert and deadly impact of this ballistic missile on a residential building in historic city of Kiev is measured in a few minutes. And so, in those moments, All that remained for me and my family, my parents-in-law, was to hide in the corridor of our apartment, praying that the missile would not hit our building. And it is perhaps the most atrocious form of Russian roulette imaginable, except that in Putin's distorted version, the gun is a ballistic missile and the target is a peaceful city. God spared us during those horrifying attacks, but many other Ukrainians were not so fortunate. On one of those nights, immediately after our arrival, Russian missiles killed 17 civilians in Kyiv alone. And it is against this hellish reality that Ukrainians are marking the 35th anniversary of the restoration of our independence today. Distinguished members of the Council, all this resembles the most appalling and the horror theater of the absurd imaginable in history. Day and night, Ukraine, a great European nation, is being brutally destroyed before the eyes of the entire international community by Russian ballistic missiles and killer drones. And all that the world community seems capable of doing is to convene a meeting of the UN Security Council and at best condemn Russia's war crimes and crimes against humanity being committed on a staggering scale. And some choose instead to hide behind abstract formulas avoiding even mentioning Russia, the country that launched this war of extension against Ukraine and continues to wage it with impunity. What a disgrace that to this day the UN Security Council has failed to take effective action to hold Russia to account and to prevent a daily genocide of the Ukrainian people carried out in plain sight of the world. Of course, we Ukrainians value the fact that Russia's barbaric war against our very statehood remains on the agenda of this Council. At the same time, it is equally clear that words alone, even the strongest words of condemnation of Russia's criminal actions uttered in this chamber cannot stop the killing force of Russian ballistic missiles. Only decisive action, not words, not even the strongest words, can stop this deadly Russian war machinery. It is time for the Security Council to impose the most painful and far-reaching sanctions against Russia, against foremost those enterprises which produce deadly weapons so that Mr. Putin is compelled to stop this war. And it is time to put an end to Russia's abuse of its veto power as a fig leaf, as an excuse for inaction to stop allowing the aggressor state to hide behind the very privilege it has misused to shield itself from accountability. We understand that this Council has its own traditions and unwritten rules, a kind of pact of mutual non-aggression. But we can see that this is a road to nowhere unless Russia is shown that no one will any longer tolerate this cynical course of prolonging and even escalating the war against Ukraine while simultaneously shifting blame and spreading lies. These daily deaths of innocent people will weigh on the conscience of this council. This also concerns something as basic as human conduct, continuing business as usual to shake hands with the Russians and behaving as though nothing is happening, discussing routine agenda items as if there were no genocidal war raging in the very heart of Europe, is sending an absolutely wrong message. It creates the impression that Russia can continue its terror campaign against Ukraine and its independence without facing any consequences of its criminal actions. It is an open secret that Ukraine needs most urgently today than ever to protect its civilian population from Russia's ballistic missiles. And if we are to be completely frank, my fellow citizens find it difficult to understand why missiles capable of saving hundreds of lives every day are being kept in storages instead of being used to shield Ukrainian civilians. Of course, we fully understand the challenges. of production and the enormous global shortage of air defense systems. But nevertheless, I once again urge all our partners to take the only right decision today to provide Ukraine with all the available Patriot interceptor missiles currently held in stockpiles. At the same time, Ukraine is initiating a global coalition to massively scale up development and production of anti-ballistic interceptors by tenfold or more This would not only help save Ukrainian lives today, it would also be a critical preventive step to deter future missiles attack. Mr. President, I wish to draw this Council attention to another war crime by Russia. It was just mentioned by a few colleagues since one month, exactly one month, Moscow has fully blocked navigation in the Black Sea, attacking all merchant vessels sailing to and from Ukrainian ports. One month. This has been a dramatic development, having consequences, as we heard from some colleagues, for the whole international community due to a steep rise of wheat prices and prices of other foods, endangering global food security. Ukraine has made already concrete proposals to the Russian Federation to find a solution like in 2022 with the Black Sea Grain Initiative. Unfortunately, Russia has discarded this offer. Mr. President, continuing and irrespective of all the barbaric attacks against civilians in Ukraine, Russia is losing and will lose this war. A few days ago, the chief economist at Russia's second largest state bank, Vnesheconombank, Andrei Klepach has been fired upon direct instructions from the Kremlin after his critical comments about the real state of the economy, including warnings that Moscow cannot win a prolonged economic war against Ukraine. Mr. Klepach said Russia was falling behind China and the US economically and in some respects Ukraine. He predicted that pressures on Russia's economy due to the war would inevitably lead to a social crisis that would erupt where no one particularly expects it. And let me quote, I'm almost certain we'll come to a social crisis under the current macroeconomic policy being pursued, the economy will stop and society is unlikely to accept it, end of quote. Mr. Klevach also said expectations of an imminent Ukrainian economic collapse were misplaced and that a prolonged standoff in Ukraine would not lead to Russia's victory. We will not win this competition, he said. in a war of attrition against Ukraine. We have an illusion that everything will collapse there in Ukraine. It hasn't collapsed and it won't. Our costs are growing. The comments, they were a rare acknowledgement from a senior Russian economist of the country's mounting economic struggles and directly contradicting Mr. Putin's claims that Moscow was successfully weathering the economic pressures of the war and that Ukraine's economic exhaustion was only a matter of time. Russia's economy is facing its most difficult period since the start of Putin's full scale invasion in Ukraine in 2022, strained by massive wartime spending, Western sanctions and Ukraine's growing ability to strike at Moscow's oil and gas industry. In the first month of this year alone, Russia's budget deficit hit 5.8 trillion rubles. It's about 81 billion US dollar, well above the government's 3.8 trillion rubles target for the entire year. Russian Finance Ministry itself reports that federal oil and gas revenues collapsed by almost 40% year on year in April and general in April 2026. There is considerable evidence that Mr. Klipach's assessment of the Russian economic problems aligns with reality, undermining the validity of Mr. Putin's theory of victory. This theory assumes that Russian forces will be able to continue gradual creeping advances indefinitely, prevent Ukraine from conducting successful operationally significant counteroffensive operations and that Russia can prevail in a war of attrition by outlasting Ukrainian will and that of Ukraine's external friends and supporters. The truth is that Russia is not in a position to sustain its method of waging a protracted attritional war as losses exceed recruitment rates and financial and material costs rise. and that the Kremlin is exaggerating its tactical advances to prevent and to present the appearance of a continuous military gain. Mr. President, Putin did not simply launch a war against Ukraine. He unleashed the four horsemen of the apocalypse, like in the book of Revelation, conquest, war, famine, and death. Those four horsemen that the world thought belonged to the pages of the ancient biblical prophecy Putin unleashed them upon Ukraine, but their shadow has spread far beyond its borders. And those dismal horsemen obeying no master, they are turning back and their hoofbeats are echoing back toward the Kremlin. They are coming home to Moscow. And they're going to swallow not only the one who unleashed them, but the very system that was built. And when their ride is over, they may leave the final seal upon the fate of Russia itself. Mr. President, in this council, Mr. Nebenzia never misses an opportunity to evoke a cynical impression how much he cares about the mobilization in Ukraine. Yet when credible reports emerged about a new unprecedented wave of mobilization in Russia, which is running out of soldiers, the Russian representative found himself in a less comfortable position just a few days ago he was forced to reassure at the press conference here that no mobilization is being planned in Russia. He said this with precisely the same expression of his face with which his boss, Foreign Minister Lavrov, and the Kremlin spokesman, Mr. Peskov, solemnly proclaimed, beat their chest and swearing to it just days before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, that Putin had no intention of going to war. So today I would like to address the Russian people directly, and not only Russian men, but also their mothers and wives in your native language. And I am sorry that I have to switch now into Russian. I must warn all of the Russians, because you will hardly hear this from your leadership immediately. After the fake elections on the 20th of September this year, Putin will start massive force mobilization. Up to half a million people, all will be sent to Ukraine, but this will be a one-way ticket because they will be sent not to the Crimean Riviera, but to serve as fertilizer on the sacred soil of Ukraine. So before it's too long, you have literally days, left so as to pack and leave Russia, provided, of course, you find somewhere to refuel your cars. In other words, run, run, first run. Let me bring my remarks to a close with a final message. As you all remember, exactly a year ago, Ukraine declared its readiness for an immediate, comprehensive and unconditional ceasefire. At each and every Security Council meeting since then, since one year and a half, we have called on all of you to finally adopt a corresponding resolution of this Council. Ukraine remains committed to peace. Regrettably, Ukraine's gesture of goodwill and our readiness to seek compromise in order to bring this barbarous war to an end have met with no meaningful response and fallen on deaf ears. Putin himself continues to openly reject any possibility of such a ceasefire. Just this weekend, he once again made a mockery of very concrete peace proposals of Ukraine that were transmitted to him, dismissing them as exotic. In doing so, Russia is again spitting in the face and showing contempt for each and every member of the Security Council. The Council shall therefore no longer afford to ignore this blatant disregard for its authority. Russia must stop playing this cat and mouse game in this chamber. Hence, today I call upon the members of the Council to table a resolution demanding that the Russian Federation finally comply with the binding order of the International Court of Justice of March 16, 2022, and immediately suspend its military operations in and against the territory of Ukraine. This resolution should also demand the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of all Russian forces from the internationally recognized territory of Ukraine. Moreover, we urge this Council that the resolution establish a 50-kilometer demilitarized zone on the Russian side of the international border with Ukraine as a necessary security measure to protect Ukraine's civilian population from continued attacks launched from the Russian territory. If this Council is serious about ending Russia's war of extension against Ukraine, it should finally act on what the International Court of Justice ordered four and a half years ago. Mr. President, in conclusion, as has become a good tradition, I cannot but address a few final words to the representative of the Russian Federation. But this time I shall do so not in a language familiar to him, but in the words of Ivan Kotliarevsky, he was the founding father of modern Ukrainian literature, writing in 1798 in his seminal burlesque travesty poem, Aeneid. And I quote, "Hetch, proch, vbaraytis vitil chortu." In English, for the benefit of everyone in this chamber, Be gone, be off with you, and away to hell. Russians, get the hell out of Ukraine. I thank you for your attention. Denmark · President of the Council · Lars Rasmussen [2:24:45]: I thank the representative of Ukraine for the statement, and I will now give the floor to the representative of Lithuania. Lithuania · Baltic States [2:24:54]: Thank you, Mr. President. I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the Baltic States. We also align with the statement of the European Union. We thank the Danish presidency for convening this meeting. Today, on Ukrainians Independence Day, we congratulate the Ukrainian people and commend their extraordinary courage and resilience in defending their freedom, sovereignty and identity. The Baltic states know the value of freedom and the cost of defending it. Our own history demonstrates that aggression, occupation and imperial ambitions cannot extinguish nations will to be free. Just as Ukrainians stood with us in the 1990s, today we stand firmly with Ukraine as it is defending its freedom. Ukraine is defending not only its own future, but the principles of the UN charter, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the right of every nation to determine its own destiny. It is unacceptable that Russia continues its war of aggression while using its permanent seat of the Security Council to deflect accountability. Russia's actions, including attacks on civilians and infrastructure, the deportation of children, and the attempted erasure of Ukrainian identity, are grave violations of international law. The Baltic states call on all countries to cease any support that enables Russia's war machine. We condemn the recruitment of foreign nationals, including from Africa, Asia, and Latin America, through deception and coercion to support Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. We also condemn military cooperation with Russia by Belarus, Iran, and the DPRK. We reaffirm Ukraine's inherent right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter and call for sustained military support, including air defense and other critical capabilities. Ukraine's security is inseparable from European security. We must therefore continue strengthening our collective defense and resilience while supporting Ukraine's European and Euro-Atlantic integration and its path towards full membership of the European Union. We reiterate that Russia must be held fully accountable for its violation of international law, including the crime of aggression. We urge international community to support the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine, as well as all efforts to investigate and prosecute war crimes and other atrocities. Cases of executions, torture, conflict-related sexual violence, and the forced transfer of Ukrainian civilians, including children, must continue to be monitored, investigated and prosecuted through the relevant accountability mechanisms. We further recall the need to fully implement the Secretary-General's decision to prohibit from participating in the United Nations peacekeeping operations all countries repeatedly listed in the annexes of his reports on children and armed conflicts and conflict-related sexual violence. Peace must be just and lasting. It cannot come at the expense of Ukraine's sovereignty or territorial integrity. We will never recognize de jure or de facto Russia's occupation or attempted annexation of Ukraine's territory. The Baltic states joined the international community in calling repeatedly on Russia to end its war of aggression and agree to an unconditional ceasefire as a first step toward meaningful negotiations. Russia must face sustained political, economic, and military pressure to end its aggression. The Security Council should adopt a resolution on ceasefire in fulfillment of its primary responsibility to ensure international peace and security. We do not and will not recognize Russia's so-called elections in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine or their results. Any attempt to illegally integrate or annex the territory of another state is a clear violation of international law. We call on all countries to refrain from recognizing or participating in the monitoring of these illegitimate processes. To our Ukrainian friends, please be assured, we will not waver. We stand in solidarity with the Ukrainian people until you prevail. We pay tribute to all those who have paid the ultimate price in defending their homeland and their freedom. We will continue our firm support for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political independence of Ukraine. I thank you. Denmark · President of the Council [2:29:58]: I thank the representative of Lithuania for the statement, and I will give the floor to the representative of Poland. Poland [2:30:06]: Madam President, let me first thank Denmark for convening today's meeting, Undersecretaries General Di Carlo and Fletcher for their factual briefings, and I also welcome the presence of Deputy Foreign Minister of Latvia here today. Poland aligns itself with the statement to be delivered on behalf of the European Union. 35 years since its proclamation of independence, Ukraine reminds the world that freedom is a priceless value to be cherished and defended. Poland was the first country in the world, on the same day as Canada, to recognize Ukraine as an independent state. We are unequivocal in our call to all UN member states to support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. Regrettably, the recent scale of Russian attacks proves that Moscow is unwilling to end its hostilities against Ukraine and hold bona fide negotiations. While the representative of Russia was trying to mock Ukraine democracy by coming up with the example of banning the cartoon Masha in Yedvity, in the meantime, Russia bars its Yabloko party from the State Duma election next month. and sentences for 11 years in penal colony its deputy chairman, Lev Shlosberg, for calling for a ceasefire. This is a clear message that calls for peace are not tolerated by Kremlin. The clear inability of the aggressor to overcome the smaller neighbor defending itself somehow makes Russia even more determined to terrorize defenseless civilians, targeting cities far from the front lines residential buildings, hospitals, schools, and playgrounds. Madam President, Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine poses continuously a serious threat to the security of neighboring states as well. On 30th July, a Russian missile violated Polish airspace and traveled approximately 90 kilometers into Polish territory. This is the kind of cruise missile that can be equipped with a nuclear warhead. On the same day, a dozen of these missiles struck targets in Ukraine. Throughout last four and a half years, hundreds of missiles like that strike targets in Ukraine. The violations of airspace of Poland, Romania, Latvia, Moldova, only in recent weeks, showed that the only legitimate security concerns, a soundbite from the Russian propaganda, are the Russian hostile attempts to exert influence on others and to seek domination over its neighbors. Poland rejects tolerating these violations of international law as a new normal. Our response is to continue with the support for Ukraine, which exercises its inherent right to defend itself. Despite Russian provocations, we call on all responsible members of the international community to increase their assistance for the victim of aggression. Multi-dimensional international pressure on Russia must continue through military, financial, and political support for Ukraine, as well as restrictive measures against the aggressor. Madam President, to conclude, Russia's neo-imperial mindset and colonial ambitions to conquer Ukraine are the only real root causes of this conflict. Our collective response to Russia's aggression is a test of our ability to uphold the principles of the UN Charter and preserve international peace and security. I thank you. Denmark · President of the Council [2:33:42]: I thank the representative of Poland for the statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Romania. Romania [2:33:50]: Madam President, Romania aligns with the EU statement that will follow. We thank the Danish Presidency for convening this meeting. It occurs in the increasingly dire security environment and the dramatic humanitarian situation, but also on the day marking the anniversary of Ukrainians independence. Particularly as Russia continues its illegal and unprovoked war of aggression, it is of critical importance to uphold Ukraine's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. We congratulate Ukraine and Ukrainian people on their Independence Day, recognizing their brave resilience and determination to stand for freedom. It inspires us, all of us. They deserve peace. We acknowledge the gravity and amplitude of Russian attacks during the last months with an uptick in civilian population and civilian infrastructure targeting. especially on energy infrastructure, with dire implications. The relentless bombing of Ukrainian cities, the continuous killing and injuring of civilians, including children, the senseless damaging of residential buildings and civilian infrastructure do not convey a perception of strength. It reflects a pattern of inhumanity and destruction fueled in flagrant violation of international law and international humanitarian law. We reiterate our call to immediately return the Ukrainian children unlawfully deported or forcibly transferred to Russia. We support Ukraine in ensuring justice to relevant accountability mechanisms for the loss of life and damage suffered. As a neighbor of Ukraine, a true friend, and a strategic partner, Romania stands with Ukraine and its people for as long as it's needed. Since the drone strike incident in Galati occurred at the end of May this year and exposed during an emergency Security Council meeting, Romania has experienced a significant increase in the operational consequences of Russia's war. In 2026 alone, Romania has recorded 57 attacks near the border, 25 unauthorized incursions into our airspace. As a consequence, we've conducted 45 aircraft sorties and four shootdowns. Of note was the sequence of three UAV engagements by Romanian fighter jets in three consecutive dates in late July. During one of these incursions, on July 24th, a Russian UAV flew more than 100 kilometers into Romanian territory over populated areas before being neutralized by the Romanian Air Force. More recently, a drone was shot down by a Spanish fighter jet on 16 August. And on August 20, a drone entered Romanian airspace approximately 13 kilometers east of the city of Galati and crashed in an uninhabited area. In a further serious escalation, on August 20, a maritime drone was identified near a major Romanian gas exploitation project. It was destroyed by a Romanian Air Force. This incident affects our exclusive economic zone and our sovereign economic rights in breach of UNCLOS. Russia bears full responsibility for these violations. We will protect our maritime areas and our sovereign rights in the Black Sea. There is another dimension of Russia's aggression. It's disinformation campaign. promoting narratives aimed at justifying its actions and misleading people around the globe. Madam President, maintenance of peace and security is the main goal of this body. We repeat our urgent plea to the council to increase the pressure on Russia to match Ukraine's proven commitment to peace. and reach an immediate, full and unconditional ceasefire and return to the negotiating table towards reaching a just and lasting peace. I thank you. Denmark · President of the Council [2:38:35]: I thank the representative of Romania for the statement. I now give the floor to Her Excellency Ms. Hedda Samson, Deputy Head of the Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations. EU · EU · Deputy Head of the Delegation · Hedda Samson [2:38:48]: Thank you, Madam President. I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States. The candidate countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the EFTA country Liechtenstein, member of the European Economic Area, as well as Andorra, Monaco and San Marino align themselves with this statement. That makes 37 countries subscribing to this statement. I thank the briefers for their valuable insights into the stark reality of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. Today, Ukraine celebrates its Independence Day, commemorating the day in 1991 when the country declared independence from the former USSR. That decision was endorsed overwhelmingly by the Ukrainian people, with 92% voting in favour, and every single one of the 27 administrative regions of Ukraine supporting it. It was subsequently recognized by the international community, including by the Russian Federation, thus acknowledging the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. On this day, our thoughts are with all Ukrainians who aspire to a life of peace and freedom. Yet today, For the fifth year in a row, Ukrainians are forced to celebrate their national day under constant Russian bombardment, while in the temporarily occupied regions, millions suffer from the daily horrors of Russian occupation. According to the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, civilian casualties have continued to rise sharply, with July 2026 recording the highest number of civilians killed and injured in a single month since March 2022. Children remain particularly exposed, with mounting casualties as attacks on homes, schools, hospitals and other infrastructure essential to their safety and development continue. Attacks hitting humanitarian workers, relief objects and civilian infrastructures have also intensified, as reported month after month by the UN system and other humanitarian actors. The EU also remains deeply concerned about the disproportionate impact of Russia's war of aggression on women and girls, including increased risk of conflict-related sexual violence, displacement and loss of access to essential services. The reality is that the senseless cycle of death and destruction caused by Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine continues unabated, 1643 days after it started. By every standard it has set for itself, Russia is not achieving its objectives. It spends 40% of its budget on its military and security. It has suffered over a million casualties for minimal territorial gains. It stands isolated internationally. Yet Russia seems to know no limits to its egregious violations of international law, including the UN Charter. and pursues instead its project of territorial expansion that bears all the hallmarks of a neo-imperial power. But it would be a mistake to believe that the consequences of Russia's war of aggression stop at Ukraine's borders. It has direct implications for European security. We witnessed this once again on the 14th of August when NATO had to intercept a drone over Latvia due to Russia's electromagnetic warfare. on the 30th of July, when a Russian KH-101 cruise missile violated Polish airspace and crashed in eastern Poland, after several similar incidents in Romania and Estonia over the last month. We condemn the violations of the airspace of EU Member States and repeat that Russia bears full responsibility for the consequences of its escalatory behaviour and its continued military actions. which threaten the security of EU citizens, regional stability and international peace. Russia's war of aggression also extends far beyond Europe. Its military campaign against Ukraine's Black Sea ports and commercial shipping has intensified. including drone and missile attacks against oil tankers, together with systematic strikes against inland logistics, warehouses and grain terminals, in violation of international law, including the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea. This recent escalation is severely disrupting global energy and food supply chains. For instance, wheat futures are up by more than 26% compared with last year. And yet, Russia has rejected Ukraine's proposal for a ceasefire in the Black Sea, a measure that could have helped protect commercial shipping and ensure that food can reach the countries and populations most in need. We therefore urge all members of this Council to work with us in pressuring Russia to engage meaningfully for peace. This is the logic behind the EU sanctions against Russia, to raise the cost of the illegal aggression for Russia's leadership, the EU has adopted 21 packages of restrictive measures. Nearly 3,000 individuals and entities are now subject to travel bans, asset freezes and economic sanctions. By constraining Russia's military industrial complex, its energy and financial services sector, and the support it receives from third countries, the EU is seeking to limit Russia's ability to continue its war of aggression and incentivize Russia to come to the negotiating table. If Russia really wants to stop the war, it could do so today. Accusations which we often hear in this chamber from the aggressor that the European Union is prolonging the conflict are a distortion of reality. Supporting Ukraine does not contradict the pursuit of peace. Ukraine has an inherent right to self-defence according to Article 51 of the UN Charter. Ukraine wants peace, the European Union wants peace. It's about time that Russia listens to the calls from all of us in this Chamber for a full, unconditional and immediate ceasefire and resumes talks leading to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine based on international law, including the UN Charter. And the EU supports all diplomatic efforts to bring this war to an end. Madam President, The EU also urges all countries, including all members of this Council, to immediately cease any assistance to Russia in its war of aggression, whether direct or indirect, and notably through the provision of dual-use goods and components. The EU strongly condemns DPRK Russia military cooperation. including arms transfers and the deployment of DPRK troops, which constitute a serious breach of international law and a flagrant violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions that Russia itself supported. The EU also strongly condemns Russia's deceitful recruitment of third country citizens, including many from African, Latin American or Middle Eastern countries, to fight in its illegal and unjustified war of aggression against Ukraine and to work in its military industry. Beyond all else, this war of aggression needs to stop, and it needs to stop now. Russia cannot succeed in changing borders by force, and those responsible for crimes, atrocities and violations of international law and human rights, as well as those complicit in their commission, will be held accountable for their actions. On this special day, Allow me to conclude by congratulating the people of Ukraine on their Independence Day. Your courage, resilience and unwavering commitment to freedom continue to inspire us all. I thank you. Denmark · President of the Council [2:46:56]: I thank her Excellency Ms. Samson for the statement. I now give the floor to the representative of Iceland. Iceland · Nordic countries [2:47:05]: Thank you, Madam President, and thanks to the Danish Presidency for convening this meeting. Let me thank Under Secretary General DeCarlo and USG Tom Fletcher for their earlier insightful and sombre presentations here today. And on this day, Ukraine Independence Day, we are four and a half years into Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and humanitarian consequences continue to worsen. I should say I have the pleasure to speak today on behalf of the Nordic countries, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, and my own country, Iceland. Russia's constant attacks on civilians and civilian objects are inflicting immense harm while increased drone warfare and use of ballistic missiles is creating new and profound risks for humanitarian personnel and those that they seek to assist. The situation in Kherson is a particularly stark example. The constant presence of drones has created an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty for civilians. They are attacked in markets, on roads, and in other ordinary places of daily life, and the toll is profound, not least on women and girls. These actions constitute blatant violations of international law, including the UN Charter, and directly undermine the rules-based international order that we all have a responsibility to uphold. Madam President, as Mr. Fletcher emphasised, the proliferation of inexpensive and increasingly capable drones is changing the nature of conflict. Medical personnel are treating growing numbers of patients with blast injuries, while medical teams and operating facilities have had to move underground because of the constant threat. What is happening in Ukraine concerns us all. The technologies being used there today could well be used elsewhere tomorrow. Madam President, Russia's attacks in Ukraine have demonstrated a clear pattern of targeting civilians, and those responsible must be held to an account. The Nordics strongly condemn such attacks, including against civilian objects and humanitarian workers, and demand that Russia meets its obligations under international humanitarian law. The safety of civilians is paramount, and civilian infrastructure must not be targeted. Humanitarian workers and the facilities they rely on to deliver assistance must likewise be protected and allowed to carry out their vital work. Madam President, as we convene here today, Ukraine celebrates the 35th anniversary of its independence. In 1991, 35 years ago, the Ukrainian people voted to become a sovereign nation. It was recognized as such by the international community, including by the Russian Federation. Today, Ukraine is defending its sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence against Russia's onslaught. The Ukrainian people have shown remarkable resilience and it is clear that Ukraine has an inherent right to defend itself in accordance with Article 51 of the Charter. The Nordics continue to support Ukraine's call for a ceasefire as the first step towards a just, lasting and sustainable peace in accordance with international law. We also urge Russia to answer this call. Madam President, The way forward is clear. Russia must end its aggression, withdraw its forces from Ukrainian territory, respect Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity and respect international law. Accountability for Russia's crimes in and against Ukraine is essential. I thank you. Denmark · President of the Council [2:50:57]: I thank the representative of Iceland for the statement. There are no more names inscribed on the list of speakers. The meeting is adjourned.