Today's meeting of the UN Security Council was an important step in preventing a new wave of armed aggression by Russia against Ukraine.

The discussion clearly demonstrated the positions and approaches of members of the international community and the UN leadership on the most serious security crisis in Europe, that emerged following Russia's temporary occupation of Crimea and its armed aggression in Donbas.

Despite Russia's attempt to disrupt the meeting, the Security Council was able to properly showcase a responsible approach to preventive diplomacy in accordance with Chapter VI of the UN Charter, which authorizes the Security Council to consider any situation that threatens international peace and security.

The results of the meeting confirmed the principled position of the vast majority of UN Security Council members on the unacceptability of the unprecedented increase in Russian offensive weapons, forces and means on the Ukraine-Russia and Ukraine-Belarus borders.

The Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the UN Sergiy Kyslytsya has clearly stated that Ukraine is not going to carry out any offensive operation, either in the zone of Ukrainian-Russian armed conflict in the Donbas or on the border with Russia, and will do everything possible to prevent any provocations. from Russia. 

During the meeting, Sergiy Kyslytsya stressed that Ukraine still lacks credible explanations by Russia of its actions and military movements. No statement can replace practical moves on withdrawal of troops from the border and a ceasefire.

The Russian delegation’s statement that it does not want to see Ukraine in NATO contradicts Ukraine’s inherent sovereign right to choose our own security arrangements, including treaties of alliance, which cannot be questioned by Russia.

Attempts by individual members of the Security Council to present the debate as a confrontation between the United States and Russia are nothing more than an attempt to divert the attention of the international community from Russia's aggressive actions against Ukraine and Europe in general.

We consider the Russian permanent representative leaving the meeting before its closure not only as a disrespect to the issue under discussion, but also as contempt to the UN Security Council as a body created to consider threats to international peace and security.