On 18 February, during the working visit to New York, Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Mariana Betsa took part in the UN Security Council's high-level open debate on “Maintenance of international peace and security: Practicing multilateralism, reforming and improving global governance”, initiated by the Chinese presidency.
The meeting was commemorating the 80th anniversary of the UN and was aimed at discussing ways to strengthen international cooperation, reform the UN Security Council and ensure a just global order.
In her statement, Mariana Betsa drew attention to the current crisis in the multilateral system, in particular, due to the inability of the UN to respond effectively to Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine. “Achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace for Ukraine will be a litmus test for the UN”, the Deputy Minister emphasized.
Mariana Betsa said that Russia's war against Ukraine has implications not only for European but also for global security, with its effects felt in Africa and the Middle East in particular.
“Russia has turned food and energy into weapons, exacerbating global crises. Its nuclear threats undermine decades of international non-proliferation efforts”, Mariana Betsa stated.
The Deputy Minister emphasized the need to reform the UN Security Council and limit the veto power of states that are parties to the conflict: “The Security Council cannot serve its primary function if it is paralyzed by countries like Russia, which is actively undermining its mission by waging an aggressive war against Ukraine.”
Mariana Betsa focused on the draft UN General Assembly resolution on a just peace in Ukraine, initiated by Ukraine, which will be put to a vote during the 20th plenary meeting of the 11th Emergency Special Session of the UN General Assembly on the third anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February. The Deputy Minister called for support for this document, which is intended to reaffirm the international community's commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as the principles of the UN Charter.