Thank you for this opportunity to address the Council today. I would also like to thank ASG Jenca for his informative briefing.
Today’s meeting references the joint diplomatic efforts of France and Germany to support the peace negotiations following Russia’s initial aggression against Ukraine in 2014.
Through the “Normandy format”, France and Germany engaged extensively with Ukraine and Russia at political and senior official levels to pursue a peaceful resolution on the basis of the UN Charter.
After their endorsement by this Council in 2015, the Minsk Agreements initially succeeded in substantially reducing the violence unleashed by Russia, with an OSCE mission monitoring their implementation on the ground, a mission which was organized by an organization under Chapter 8.
The agreements outlined a political solution, based on Ukraine’s constitutional order.
However, after initial progress, Russia began to systematically undermine the process and violate the Minsk Agreements. This included administrative measures, such as issuing Russian passports to Ukrainian citizens in Donbass, but also military action, such as persistent ceasefire violations and the failure to withdraw heavy weapons. With the so-called Duma elections conducted in the occupied territories in 2021, Russia further disregarded Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
Nevertheless, France and Germany worked hard and in good-faith to continue discussions with both parties on implementing the Minsk Agreements, before Russia launched its full-scale military invasion in 2022. Russia obstructed the implementation of the Minsk agreements and chose to pursue an agenda of expansionist conquest.
Throughout 2021, despite our repeated efforts to advance the process, Russia refused to participate in any high-level Normandy format meetings, turning away from dialogue.
I wish to stress: the Minsk Agreements were a diplomatic initiative designed to prevent further bloodshed and establish a political pathway to peace in Ukraine, in full respect of international law and the UN Charter.
Mister President,
This war should not have been started in the first place, this war could end tomorrow, and the suffering of millions of innocent civilians would cease immediately, if Russia simply were to terminate its military aggression and withdraw all its forces from Ukrainian territory.
Germany – and much more Ukraine – is longing for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace. With the third sad anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion in sight, I ask all UN Member States to unite behind the draft General Assembly resolution on advancing peace in Ukraine. If we want diplomacy to have a meaningful chance, we need to reiterate our unwavering commitment to the UN Charter in its entirety. This matters not only to Ukraine, but will be in the interest of everyone.