On February 24, Deputy Foreign Minister Mariana Betsa participated in a high-level meeting of the UN Security Council dedicated to the humanitarian situation in Ukraine and ways to end the war of the Russian Federation against Ukraine.

In response to the speech of the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation, Mariana Betsa emphasized that Ukraine and the Russian Federation have never been one nation and never will be. Ukraine is a democratic, European, modern state. Russia is an authoritarian regime that commits terrorism, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.

In her speech, the Deputy Foreign Minister emphasized:

• Russia has usurped its seat in the UN Security Council, as it never legally acquired the status of a permanent member of the SC.
• By continuing its aggressive policy against Ukraine and other states, Russia is systematically undermining the entire system of international law.
• Russia has failed to achieve any of its strategic objectives on the battlefield. As its setbacks mount, it increasingly directs its hatred at Ukrainian civilians. In 2025 alone, Russia carried out thousands of attacks on civilian infrastructure using drones, aerial bombs, and missiles, deliberately targeting energy facilities, railways, and residential buildings. These are not accidental strikes – this is terror aimed not at armies, but at people.
• Ukraine needs humanitarian and defense support to protect its people. The international community’s assistance during the energy crisis sends Russia a clear signal: terror will not succeed.
• For Ukraine, the return of every child is not a political issue but a moral duty and a matter of justice. To date, around 20,000 children have been abducted by Russia.
• More than 16,000 civilians are being held in Russian captivity. Russia systematically violates the rights of prisoners of war, extracts forced “confessions,” and persecutes people for defending their country.
• Ukraine is ready for an “all-for-all” prisoner exchange. We call on the international community to increase pressure on Russia to immediately release all unlawfully detained Ukrainians, including children.
• Russia’s policy is not merely a series of war crimes, but a campaign aimed at destroying the Ukrainian people, culture, and heritage. The world must respond decisively — terror is unacceptable in the 21st century.
• Russia’s objective remains unchanged: to seize as much Ukrainian territory as possible, destroy life in cities, and terrorize civilians. Its allies – Iran, the DPRK, and Belarus – are spreading chaos and destabilization worldwide.
• Despite peace initiatives by the United States and Europe, Russia continues to escalate. The Kremlin demands that Ukraine withdraws from its own territory. Sovereignty and territorial integrity are red lines for Ukraine and for all UN member states.
• As long as the war continues, resources must be mobilized: sanctions, defense support, security guarantees, and holding Russia accountable for the crimes of aggression, genocide, terrorism, and war crimes are critically important. The price of aggression for Russia will rise.
• The question today is whether the UN is capable of fulfilling its primary function – maintaining international peace and security. International law must be a real instrument of peace. Without the restoration of a just and comprehensive peace, no state will be safe.
• Ukraine wants peace, but we will never accept occupation, agree to territorial concessions, or compromise our freedom. Our goal is a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace based on the UN Charter and international law.

On 24 February, a joint media stakeout (approach to the press) on the ongoing aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine was also held at UN headquarters, joined by 46 Member States and the EU delegation.

The key messages of the statement, delivered on behalf of the delegations by Mariana Betsa, are: strong condemnation of Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified full-scale aggression as a gross violation of the UN Charter and international law; support for the demand for an immediate, complete and unconditional ceasefire and the achievement of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace; emphasis on the need for urgent humanitarian measures, including the exchange of prisoners of war, the release of illegally detained persons and the return of deportees, including Ukrainian children; strong condemnation of attacks on the civilian population and critical infrastructure; a confirmation of commitment to ensuring accountability for international crimes, as well as a clear demand for Russia to cease aggression and completely withdraw its troops from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders.