Statement at the United Nations Security Council Briefing on behalf of the Baltic States - Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania - by the Republic of Latvia
New York, 28 August 2024
Mister President,
I have the honour to address the Council on behalf of three Baltic States - Estonia, Lithuania and my own country Latvia. We align ourselves with the Statement of the European Union.
We thank Assistant Secretary General Miroslav Jenča for the briefing.
Yet again, Russia has attacked Ukrainian cities and people. On Monday, 26 August, Russia launched 127 missiles and 109 “Shahed” combat drones. Attacks that took place right after Ukraine’s Independence Day this past weekend, have kept most of the country under strain for eight hours. This is assessed to be the largest Russia’s air attack since the beginning of the full-scale invasion in 2022, targeting Ukrainian capital Kyiv, cities of Lviv, Odessa, Kharkiv, Zaporizhya and others.
Again and again, Russia has deliberately targeted civilian and critical infrastructure - residential buildings, hospitals, gas facilities, electric power plants, including unsuccessful attempt to destroy the dam of the Kyiv Hydroelectric Power station. This energy infrastructure is crucial for supply of basic services to people in their homes, schools and hospitals.
On August 14, two humanitarian workers died in a Kherson hospital after being injured by Russian shelling. Last week Russian forces attacked a hotel in a city of Kramatorsk killing Reuters staff member and injuring four other international journalists, including a Latvian journalist. These are blatant violations of the international law, including the UN Charter.
The Baltic states strongly condemn Russia's criminal actions amid Russia’s full-scale illegal and unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine. We call upon aggressor to immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its troops and military equipment from the territory of Ukraine, within its internationally recognised borders. We also call on Belarus, Iran and the DPRK to stop its assistance to Russia to conduct its cruel war against Ukraine. Belarussian armed forces have concentrated significant number of military assets along the border with Ukraine, which is an unwarranted escalation. The Baltic States join the call of Ukraine to withdraw Belarusian forces from the Ukraine’s state border. We remain ready to further limit Russia’s ability to wage war and urge all countries not to provide any material or other support for Russia’s war of aggression.
Mister President,
Russia and its leaders must be held accountable for the crime of aggression through an international tribunal that enjoys broad support and legitimacy. We fully support and urge the international community to implement ICJ binding order to halt the military offensive by Russia against Ukraine and ICC arrest warrants issued to Russia’s top political and military leadership.
The Baltic States support Ukraine’s Peace Initiative and encourage other members of the United Nations to join it. We welcome the outcome of the Peace Summit held in Switzerland this June and encourage all countries to continue supporting peace, based on the principles of the UN Charter and international law.
In conclusion, let me reiterate that the Baltic States strongly support Ukraine’s exercise of its inherent right for self-defence and reaffirm our full solidarity with Ukraine to restore territorial integrity and sovereignty within its internationally recognised borders.
I thank you!