Statement by H.E. Sanita Pavļuta-Deslandes, Permanent Representative of Latvia to the United Nations at the UN Security Council Briefing on Maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine
New York, 12 January 2026
Thank you, Mr. President,
I thank the Presidency of the Council for convening this meeting, and I thank Under-Secretary General DiCarlo and Director Rajasingham for their detailed and factual briefings.
Almost 4 years ago the Russian Federation started its full-scale aggression against Ukraine. This Council has held more than 100 meetings to stop it, but the Russian Federation continues to reject international community’s appeals for peace. For this reason, Latvia, together with Liberia, Denmark, France, Greece and the United Kingdom, supported Ukraine’s request for this meeting.
Worse, the Russian Federation increases its vile attacks, killing innocent children, mothers, teachers as well as destroying infrastructure, and continues to endanger diplomatic missions in Kyiv. Once again, the night of 8th to 9th January, the Russian Federation carried out large-scale combined drone and missile attacks on Ukraine. For a second time, it launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile also capable of carrying nuclear payload. Latvia strongly condemns the continuous barbaric attacks by the Russian Federation which deliberately target civilians and energy infrastructure in the midst of sub-zero winter.
We call on the Members of this Council to condemn this systematic brutality, which threatens peace and security globally.
The Russian Federation is deliberately testing the limits of international resolve. Latvia will not relent in our support to the core principles of the UN Charter; sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence. Latvia will continue to support Ukraine and will act against the aggressor and its supporters, including through targeted sanctions.
The Russian Federation relies on fiction and lies, including the unfounded claims of airstrikes on the residence of the President of the Russian Federation as a pretext. It is deplorable, but entirely predictable. A well-worn tactic from the Kremlin’s playbook, designed to fabricate pretexts, stall for time, deliberately undermine any genuine peace effort. The only verified fact remains that the Russian Federation is killing civilians. We call on the Russian Federation to stop spreading falsehoods and instead grant access to international monitors, especially UN agencies and the ICRC. We continue to be deeply concerned by reports about human trafficking from Africa, the Middle East and other regions to work in drone factories in the Russian Federation and even be sent to the front lines as expendables.
Mr. President,
Latvia strongly supports the efforts, under the leadership of the United States, to secure a just and lasting peace in Ukraine. Ukraine has clearly demonstrated its readiness to make high sacrifices to achieve it, and the whole of Europe has worked tirelessly in good faith to restore peace in our continent.
Last week in Paris, a coalition of over thirty-five nations, including Latvia, together with Ukraine and the United States, committed to durable principles to achieve peace in Ukraine. The Russian Federation rejects it.
It is important to highlight a disturbing pattern – the closer we come to peace and justice, the more brazen the attacks and lies by the Russian Federation become.
Mr. President,
In conclusion, we reaffirm our resolute support to Ukraine. Let’s be clear – for four years the Russian Federation has been deliberately targeting civilians in Ukraine. These inhumane and immoral tactics will not succeed. Ukraine heroically defends itself against the aggression. As an elected member of this Council, Latvia takes the responsibilities with the full weight of the moment, a clear sense of duty under the UN Charter and is committed to achieving a just and lasting peace.
And we urge all Members of this Council to uphold their responsibility and recognize the actor obstructing peace and act accordingly.