Mister President,
I thank the Deputy to the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, Mr Ebo, for his speech. I have also taken note of Ms. Kneissl's remarks.
Last week, we discussed the importance of respecting the UN Charter in order to preserve our multilateral order. It is precisely this Charter that forms the basis of the international legal order. It enshrines the prohibition on the use of force, the right to self-defense, and in particular the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all States.
We recall that the current situation giving rise to this meeting is a direct consequence of Russia's military aggression against Ukraine, in clear violation of the UN Charter and international law. We condemn this military aggression and reject any attempt to evade responsibility for it.
Over the past two weeks, Ukraine has once again been the victim of Russian attacks. These included, among others, a children's hospital in Kiev. We reiterate that medical and humanitarian personnel and infrastructure must be respected and protected. Yesterday, other attacks in Kharkiv damaged, among others, the office of the “Fondation suisse de déminage”, one of our important partners in the implementation of humanitarian demining. This reminds us of the dangerous conditions in which humanitarian workers operate, including in the field of humanitarian demining - an essential prerequisite for the reconstruction of Ukraine.
Switzerland condemns these recent attacks and reiterates its call on all parties to strictly respect international law, in particular international humanitarian law and human rights. The civilian population and civilian infrastructures must not be targeted.
We are deeply dismayed by the fact that Russia’s military aggression appears to continue to be fueled by transfers of arms and munitions to Russia from third parties, notably Iran and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. We have repeatedly stressed that States must respect and comply with their obligations under international arms control instruments. This includes the relevant resolutions of this Council.
Mister President,
In order to achieve a peaceful solution, we renew our appeal to Russia to cease all hostilities and withdraw its troops from Ukrainian territory.
The Summit on Peace in Ukraine in June marks Switzerland’s ongoing commitment to peace and dialogue. Switzerland remains determined to do everything in its power to contribute to a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, based on the UN Charter and the fundamental principles of international law.
I thank you