In New York, Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Mariana Betsa addressed the UN General Assembly during a high-level debate on the agenda item “The Situation in the Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine”.
This was reported in an official statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, made in the General Assembly hall.
“On the one hand, I feel grateful to the General Assembly for supporting Ukraine throughout all 12 years of unprovoked, unjust and barbaric aggression by Russia… On the other hand, it is impossible not to mention the tragic price that the Ukrainian people pay every day,” Mariana Betsa emphasized, thanking the UN member states for their consistent solidarity since 2014, especially in the year of the 80th anniversary of the UN Charter.
The deputy minister reportedly described the current wave of massive strikes by the Russian Federation: on September 2-3 alone, about 500 drones and more than 20 missiles were launched at Ukraine. “Russia does not want peace – it wants to continue the war,” she emphasized.
And she pointed to the support of aggression with resources and drones from Iran, weapons and personnel from the DPRK, and the help of certain Chinese companies, which is a violation of UN Security Council resolutions.
Betsa also emphasized the systemic violations of human rights in the occupied territories – from torture to enforced disappearances – and stated the “industrial scale” of crimes of aggression, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. She separately referred to data on sexual violence as a tool of war (372 documented cases, including 236 women, 136 men, and 20 children).
It was also noted that the occupation is not the “end of the war,” but preparation for new attacks: at a meeting of the Defense Ministry, the Russian map behind the leadership’s back excluded not only the occupied territories, but also Kharkiv, Odessa, Mykolaiv, and Kherson, which “is a direct signal about Moscow’s plans.”
“Ukrainian children are suffering the most,” the diplomat said.
Thus, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, at least 648 children have been killed, more than 2,100 have been injured, and at least 20,000 children have been deported from the TOT.
“This is the largest operation of state child abduction in the history of mankind… Our “red lines” are clear: children are not a subject of bargaining. They must be returned home – without any conditions,” Betsa said, recalling the ICC warrants for the arrest of the Russian leadership and the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children (co-chaired by Ukraine and Canada).
The deputy minister also called for Russia to be removed from UN peacekeeping operations and for international pressure to be increased to ensure access by the UN and ICRC to detained Russian civilians.
A separate block was devoted to the Zaporizhzhia NPP.
“Russia has been illegally occupying the Zaporizhzhia NPP for over three years, turning it into a military base. The risk of a catastrophe is real. No reactor restart can take place without the permission of the Ukrainian regulator. The IAEA must receive full, unhindered access to all areas of the station – through Ukrainian territory,” the diplomat added.
Following her speech, Betz outlined a roadmap for peace:
- a ceasefire regime and legally binding security guarantees;
- increased global pressure on the Russian military economy (political, economic, financial);
- responsibility for the crime of aggression through the Special Tribunal;
- the withdrawal of Russian troops and the full restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
"Ukraine is open to negotiations. But there must be a ceasefire, guarantees, responsibility of the Russian Federation and withdrawal of troops... Crimea was, is and will be Ukraine. We call on you: to strengthen support for Ukraine - military, political, financial, security. Democracy will win. Ukraine will win," she concluded, addressing the UN member states.
Photo: UN Photo/Evan Schneider
Author: Inna Mikhno