EU Statement – UN Security Council: Briefing on the Maintenance of Peace and Security of Ukraine
President, colleagues,
I address you today not just as the Foreign Minister of Poland, but also on behalf of the High Representative of the European Union, Kaja Kallas, to present the view of the European Union on Russia’s illegal and unprovoked war against Ukraine.
No one wants and needs peace in Ukraine more than the Ukrainians. No one has a larger stake in European security than the Europeans. And no one has a greater power to end this conflict than the Russians – all they need to do is stop the killing and leave territories they illegally occupy.
Only with these facts in mind can we work to achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting peace for Ukraine, consistent with the UN Charter.
On this tragic anniversary, our thoughts go out to the countless Ukrainians who have suffered. Their resilience is a testament to the unbreakable spirit of people who seek nothing more than their rightful place in the community of free nations. We must never forget the crimes committed by Russian troops in Borodianka, Bucha, Irpin, Mariupol and many other places across Ukraine. The perpetrators must be held fully accountable.
We should also acknowledge the far-reaching repercussions beyond Ukraine’s borders. Russia’s war has disrupted global food and energy markets. It has affected countries in Africa, in Latin America, in Asia, thousands of kilometres away from Ukraine.
And people in Russia, too. Russian government has spent an estimated $200 billion of their taxpayers’ money to launch and continue the invasion. It will likely cost Russia over $1 trillion in previously anticipated economic growth through 2026.[1]
“Imagine how many kindergartens, schools, and hospitals could be built for Russian citizens — or, for that matter, for countless other citizens in developing countries around the world — with this fortune. But instead of building them in Russia or elsewhere, the Kremlin prefers to bomb them in Ukraine, while treating its own people as collateral damage. As of this January, about 170,000 Russian troops have been killed. 600,000 more are reported injured.[2]
Moscow’s enablers must also be called out. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is now not only providing Russia with weapons but also with boots on the ground. Iran is sharing its Shahed drone production technology with Russia. We have hard evidence of close military cooperation between Tehran and Moscow.
Colleagues,
While the Council remains blocked by Russia’s abuse of veto power, the right way forward remains unchanged: Russia should immediately, completely, and unconditionally withdraw all of its forces from Ukraine’s territory.
We as Europeans will continue to stand side by side with Ukraine to achieve a just and lasting peace. Peace through strength – the only kind Kremlin respects.
Thank you.
[1] https://www.defense.gov/News/Speeches/Speech/Article/3989588/the-common-defence-remarks-by-secretary-of-defense-lloyd-j-austin-iii-at-the-re/
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-operations-ukraine-have-probably-cost-up-211-billion-us-official-2024-02-16/
[2] https://www.iiss.org/online-analysis/military-balance/2025/02/combat-losses-and-manpower-challenges-underscore-the-importance-of-mass-in-ukraine/