Thank you, Mr Chair. This morning, and this afternoon, we discussed the Code of Conduct, a key document underpinning the very rationale for us convening here in this Forum. Amongst other things, signatories to the Code undertook to recognise the validity of the Helsinki Final Act which underpins our commitments to peace, sovereign equality amongst States, and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. Russia’s initial invasion of Ukraine in 2014 and its subsequent full-scale invasion in 2022 violated the core principles of the Code and the Act.
And complicit in Russia’s illegal full-scale invasion, Belarus violated its commitments to the Code when it assisted Russia, supporting Russian armed forces and permitting them to use Belarusian territory for its attacks on Ukraine. By doing so, Belarus facilitated Russia’s violation of its obligation to refrain from using force against the territorial integrity of another State. Belarus continues to provide logistical and materiel support to Russia’s illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Russia protests in this Forum when the significant majority of participating States stand up to this act of aggression. Indeed, the Code compels us to do so, ‘to act in solidarity if… norms and commitments are violated and to facilitate concerted responses to security challenges’.
Russia’s response to this act of solidarity is to distort the facts and to sow disinformation in this Forum and beyond. Russia wants to break this solidarity because Russia is suffering as a consequence; it is suffering from its choice to unleash war.
The impact for Ukraine and its people is tragic; for Ukrainian soldiers who attempt to halt Russia’s full-scale invasion, and for Ukrainian civilians who are killed and wounded, subjected to a daily onslaught of Russia’s drone and missile strikes. Ukrainians are fighting for their homeland, for their sovereign territory, for their freedom from external coercion, for the principles outlined in the Code to which we all committed, including Russia.
In September, the number of average daily Russian casualties reached a new high for the war at 1,271, meaning Russia has now likely suffered over 648,000 casualties since the war began. A terrible human cost, for an unjustified and unprovoked war in breach of international law and fundamental OSCE principles.
Mr Chair, the UK recognises the severity of the threat posed by Russia to global security, through its violation of international law and the UN Charter. This is why we have come together in solidarity; this is why we will continue to resolutely uphold the Code of Conduct and support this Forum.
We will not allow aggressors like President Putin to succeed, to trample on the fundamental tenets of this organisation. The UK’s commitment to providing Ukraine with military, financial, diplomatic, and political support remains iron clad. Thank you.
