Yet again, yesterday we witnessed another attack on the efforts of the international community to alleviate the situation of the civilian population who continue to be subjected to indiscriminate bombarding by the Russian and Syrian regime military in the Idlib Province of Syria.

The situation of the civilian population and violations of their rights and humanitarian law aggravate by day. Russia persists in its disregard for the principles of international humanitarian law – just as it does in other parts of the world, including Ukraine.

In effect, every step aimed at improving the situation is blocked by Russia. This is the thirteenth time the Russian Federation has vetoed a UN Security Council resolution on the conflict in Syria, demonstrating its firm predisposition for the use of force as a way to resolve problems in international relations.

We expect that other UN organs, including the UN Human Rights Council meeting now in Geneva, will be more effective in their decision-making regarding Syria, and better equipped to contribute to the efforts of the international community to put a stop to the conflict and to the suffering of innocent civilians, in the situation of inaction by the UN Security Council lamed by an unceasing abuse of veto power by some of its members.