Opening Remarks by H.E. Sanita Pavļuta-Deslandes, Permanent Representative of Latvia to the United Nations at the UN Security Council Arria-Formula Meeting “Implementing International Humanitarian Law: Prisoners of War, Civilian Detainees and Foreign Fighters, in the Context of Russia’s War against Ukraine”
New York, 10 August 2026
Dear colleagues,
It is an honour to welcome you to this Arria-Formula meeting, co-organised by Latvia and the United Kingdom, and co-sponsored by Ukraine. The theme of today’s event is “Implementing International Humanitarian Law: Prisoners of War, Civilian Detainees and Foreign Fighters, in the Context of Russia’s War against Ukraine”.
This year alone, the Security Council has convened eleven open briefings on Russia's aggression against Ukraine. In response to numerous brutal attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure; targeting of humanitarians and their aid infrastructure; attacks against diplomatic missions; reckless violations of neighbouring airspace; and deliberate attacks on Ukraine’s grain exports, disrupting critical food supplies and endangering global food and maritime security.
Details on all these attacks, including casualties, have been thoroughly documented, because Ukraine provides full and unimpeded access to the United Nations system and the ICRC.
The purpose of today’s Arria meeting is to focus on the people, who should be protected by international humanitarian law and international human rights law, but whose rights Russia violates every day.
Today we focus on three things.
First, we are drawing attention to the violations of the Geneva Conventions against thousands of arbitrarily detained Ukrainian civilians. How can we ensure their freedom and protection? How can we ensure that Russia does not take political prisoners and instead complies with its obligations under international law?
Second, we are highlighting the systemic torture, ill-treatment, conflict-related sexual violence and executions endured by Ukrainian prisoners of war in Russian custody. What practical measures can be taken to facilitate the exchange and return of POWs and civilian detainees? How can we ensure the ICRC has full access to fulfil its mandate?
Third, we address the issue of foreign fighters. Many governments from Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America are raising alarm and issuing warnings for Russia to stop the illicit recruitment of their nationals into its armed forces and military industry. How can we coordinate our efforts more effectively to stop this?
The goal is to examine what the Council can do to stop these violations of international law.
Today we are giving voice to the people Russia wants to silence. I admire the strength and courage of the survivors who turn their harrowing experiences into testimonies. It is an honour to have you here. Thank you for sharing your story.
I also thank the United Nations agencies and journalists, who work tirelessly to expose these violations, enabling the Council to act on the basis of facts and verified data, including evidence of violations committed by Russia thousands of kilometres away from the battlefield.
The goal today is to listen, understand the facts, and to look for solutions.