Statement delivered by Ms. Neishanta Benn, Minister Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Guyana to the United Nations, during the Security Council Briefing on the 'Maintenance of Peace and Security of Ukraine'
Thank you, Mr. President
I thank USG Di Carlo and OCHA Director Mrs. Lisa Doughten for the updates provided and welcome the participation of the Representative(s) of Ukraine, Czechia, Estonia, Poland, Iceland, and the European Union in today’s meeting.
Mr. President,
Like clockwork, this Council knows that every month we will meet to discuss the situation in Ukraine, some months as many as four times. In similar terms, we have grown accustomed to expecting that the meetings will conclude, and we would not have gotten closer to a solution.
Yet, each time we meet, we are briefed about the worsening situation as lives and livelihoods continue to be shattered. It is time that this cycle be broken, and progress is made towards ending this war.
The briefings highlight in very stark terms the dire humanitarian situation in Ukraine. A situation that has tragically worsened in recent weeks with drone and missile strikes. The recent aerial strikes over the weekend are reportedly the largest seen so far in the war and have claimed the lives of several civilians, including children. It came at a time when considerable efforts are being made to achieve a ceasefire.
We are deeply disappointed that there have been setbacks along the road to a lasting ceasefire and welcome the recent announcement of a follow-up meeting between the two parties.
We took positive note of the first meeting between Russian and Ukrainian officials in Istanbul on May 16, which resulted in the exchange of 1,000 prisoners on each side. We welcome such confidence-building efforts, which we hope will ultimately lead to a ceasefire and a much-needed respite for the Russian and Ukrainian people.
Mr. President,
On the humanitarian situation, Guyana deplores the continued killing and maiming of civilians and calls for an immediate end to indiscriminate attacks. International humanitarian law is clear. Conflict parties must take all feasible precautions to minimize civilian harm. Guyana continues to stress that the consequences of such violations of international law are not confined to borders and cannot be left unchecked.
OHCHR has repeatedly sounded the alarm about widespread and systematic attacks being carried out in Ukraine. We are now hearing about the use of drones with embedded cameras that are focused on visibly civilian targets.
Guyana calls for an end to this senseless violence and full accountability for violations of international humanitarian law.
We also reiterate that central to achieving a permanent ceasefire in the current context is the need to reach an agreement on the immediate cessation of hostilities; unimpeded humanitarian access to the temporarily occupied territories; and the provision of necessary security guarantees, inter alia.
At this critical juncture, we urge the parties to remain focused and to avoid any missteps that would doom millions of Ukrainian and Russian citizens to even more bombardment and displacement.
We remain supportive of all efforts aimed at bringing the parties together and achieving a lasting and sustainable ceasefire. We urge this Council to engage constructively towards that end. Three years on, it should be clear to all that there is no military solution and no winners in this war.
Finally, we must all uphold our responsibility and, as custodians of peace and defenders of the UN Charter, work together to ensure the protection of civilians, wherever they are.
I Thank You.
