Mr. President,
I thank the Acting Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Ms Joyce Msuya, for her briefing.
Once again, this Council is meeting in the wake of intense Russian attacks across Ukraine.
In recent days, cities from the west to the east of the country have been the target of waves of attacks, some of them among the deadliest since the start of Russia's military aggression. The inhabitants of Lviv, Kryvyi Rih, Kharkiv, Poltava, Kyiv, and the Sumy and Donetsk regions, among others, continue to pay the price for this violence.
Switzerland condemns these attacks impacting civilians and civilian infrastructure. We are shocked by the number of victims, including many children, and by the considerable damage caused to homes, health and educational facilities, once again disrupting education at the start of the new school year. Our thoughts are with the victims and their families. We are particularly dismayed by attacks on areas where people who have fled the front lines have sought refuge, only to see their lives disrupted once again.
Mr. President,
It bears repeating: a war of aggression can never be justified. In addition, wars have clearly defined limits under international humanitarian law, which all parties to a conflict must respect in all circumstances. Notably, they must at all times respect the principle of distinction between civilians and combatants, and between civilian and military objects. Directing attacks against the civilian population and civilian objects constitutes a war crime. Furthermore, in the conduct of hostilities, all feasible precautions must be taken to avoid loss of civilian life and damage to civilian objects.
These serious attacks must be thoroughly and independently investigated, and those responsible held to account.
Mr. President,
The work of humanitarian partners in Ukraine is invaluable. In the first six months of this year, aid organizations provided assistance to 5.6 million people.
Civilians depend on this vital support every day.
Switzerland applauds the tireless efforts of humanitarian personnel, whether providing immediate aid alongside first responders after attacks, or assisting those forced to flee areas close to the front lines. They often do so at the risk of their own safety. International humanitarian law requires all parties to allow and facilitate humanitarian access to civilians in need.
The humanitarian situation is likely to deteriorate further with the onset of the cold season, not least because of the extensive damage to infrastructure. Two weeks ago, a large-scale attack by Russian forces on Ukrainian energy infrastructure - the ninth in five months - again caused considerable damage. We remain concerned about the impact of the deteriorating energy system on Ukraine's nuclear power plants. We therefore welcome the IAEA's ongoing efforts to ensure nuclear safety and security in the region.
Switzerland will continue to provide humanitarian aid. We are supporting the UN Ukraine Humanitarian Fund and are providing material support in the energy sector for the winter. At this critical time, coordinated international support is essential.
It is crucial to act quickly and in a coordinated way to reduce the impact of mines and other explosive devices on populations. It is in this spirit that Switzerland, in collaboration with
Ukraine, is organizing the Ukraine Mine Action Conference on October 17 and 18 in Lausanne. We are counting on high-level participation from all the countries involved in this effort.
However, to achieve lasting improvement, this war must end. We call on Russia to withdraw its troops from Ukrainian territory. We remain determined to contribute to a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, in accordance with the United Nations Charter.
I thank you.