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, 27 July 2026
Thank you, Mr President,
I thank Director Gotoh and acting Assistant Secretary General Ratwatte for their factual briefings.
The briefings today clearly demonstrate that Russia continues to intensify a deliberate campaign against civilians in densely populated areas. On 19 July, Kyiv endured yet again one of the largest reported missile attacks since the start of the full-scale invasion, while guided arial bombs struck residential areas of the city of Zaporizhzhia. Deadly attacks against Ukrainian civilians continue daily.
On 24 July in an attack against the frontline city of Sloviansk, Donetsk region, a Russian KAB-250 guided aerial bomb destroyed the building of Latvia’s Honorary Consulate. The only permanently working European presence serving the frontline region. There were no military installations or objects nearby. That day in Sloviansk at least six civilians were killed and dozens more injured, including two staff members of our consulate.
We express our deepest condolences to the families of those killed in these attacks, barbaric attacks, and wish a full and fast recovery to all injured.
Latvia strongly condemns Russia’s attack against our Honorary consulate. We thank our partners for their solidarity.
Mr President,
The aggressor has to be stopped.
66 000 civilians have been killed or injured in Ukraine since 2022. Damage and destruction of housing stock has affected 3 million households in the first four years of this war.
Latvia condemns in the strongest possible terms Russia’s complete disregard of international humanitarian law.
Russia can destroy buildings. It cannot break Ukraine’s will for freedom, nor Latvia’s unwavering support for it.
Consequences of Russia’s war of aggression spill over beyond Ukraine’s borders. Russia’s reckless and escalatory actions in Europe continue. We express solidarity with our ally Romania, whose airspace has been violated by drone incursions for three consecutive days, a direct consequence of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
Here, I have to draw the Council’s attention that on 19 July, in Riga, Latvia, a civil society warehouse, storing humanitarian aid for Ukraine, was set ablaze. Latvia’s law enforcement institutions are conducting an investigation into this act of sabotage.
Mr President,
Russia’s deliberate attacks directly affect global food security.
Before Russia’s aggression, Ukraine was the breadbasket of the world. Ukraine was the main sourcing country for the World Food Programme – providing 19.8% of all quantities sourced and feeding around 400 million people in humanitarian emergencies.
Even now, Ukraine remains a vital hub for the UN humanitarian food procurement for global crisis zones– from Gaza and Sudan to Bangladesh, while simultaneously delivering food aid to millions of Ukrainians on the frontlines. Despite having 19% of its agricultural land occupied and over 25% of its territory suspected of contamination by mines and unexploded ordnance.
On 17 July, the World Food Programme warehouse in the city of Dnipro was attacked by drones four times in the span of 24 hours. These are not isolated incidents - WFP has registered more than 90 such attacks over the last two years.
On 19 July, three Russian cruise missiles hit a Guinea-Bissau flagged, Türkiye' owned civilian grain ship, killing ten crew members from India and Syria, and a Ukrainian pilot. Again, not an isolated case - civilian merchant ships and ports are regular Russian targets.
Over the past month, there have been increased reports of Russian drones deliberately dropping incendiary munitions on crop fields across Ukraine to burn down this year’s harvest.
Mr President,
Russia is the sole obstacle to an immediate, full and unconditional ceasefire we are all calling for.
Russia continues to use imperialist and neo-colonial justifications and means in its war against the UN Charter, international humanitarian law and international human rights.
Ukraine has our full support in it its fight for its sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence.
I thank you.