♪ >> [speaking russian] >> the provisional agenda for this meeting is d did february 28, 2014 from the perez

amendment -- the permanent representative of ukraine to the resident of the security council. the agenda is adopted. in accordance with rule 37 of the council provisional rules of procedure i invite the representatives of germany and ukraine to participate in this meeting. it is so decided. in accordance, i also welcome to this meeting the united nations secretary-general antonio could there's -- the united nations secretary-general. in accordance with rule 39 of the council provisional rules of procedure i invite rosemary and the secretary-general to participate in the meeting. the security council will begin its consideration of item two of

the agenda. i wish to warmly welcome the secretary-general and give him the floor. >> thank you very much, mr. president. mr. president, excellencies, i want to reaffirm what i expressed this morning in the meeting at the general assembly. of course it wouldn't make any sense to bother you reading again the same text that i'm sure you are all aware of. in between meetings today, a number of events took place and with your permission, mr. president, i would like to ask ms. rosemary dicarlo to brief you on the events. simultaneously, today was full of rumors and indications that

an offensive against ukraine was imminent. in the recent past, there were several situations with similar dedications, similar rumors. and i never believed in them, convinced that nothing serious would happen. i was wrong. and i would like not to be wrong again today. so if indeed and operation is being prepared, i have one thing to say from the bottom of my heart. president putin, stop your

troops from attacking ukraine. give peace a chance. too many people have already died. thank you, mr. president. >> i think the secretary-general for his introductory remarks. i know give the floor to ms. rosemary dicarlo. >> thank you, mr. president. earlier today, the so-called authorities of the the next -- donetsk military assistance from the russian federation. today the ukrainian authorities declared a nationwide state of emergency and announced other related defense and security measures, including the mobilization of reservists. throughout the day, we have seen disturbing reports of continued heavy shelling across the contact line and civilian and

military casualties. there are also reports of the repeated targeting of civilian infrastructure. this evening, different media are carrying reports of an ongoing, large-scale military buildup and military columns moving towards ukraine. the russian federation has also reportedly had air space with civilian aircraft near the border of ukraine. the united nations can't verify any of these reports, but these developments were confirmed, they would aggravate an already dangerous situation. the ukrainian authorities are also reporting a new large-scale cyberattack targeting several state and financial institutions. mr. president, president zelensky this evening called for continued diplomacy.

separately, president putin also spoke about his continued readiness to engage in dialogue. we encourage such efforts, even at this late hour. u.n. staff remain on the ground to provide humanitarian assistance to the people of ukraine. we are committed to staying and delivering. all parties must ensure their safety and security. respect for international humanitarian law and international human rights law is also paramount. we cannot predict exactly what will happen in the coming hours and days in ukraine. what is clear is the unacceptably high cost in human suffering and destruction of an escalation. the people of ukraine want peace . and i'm certain the people of russia want peace. we must do everything in our

power to ensure that peace prevails. thank you, mr. president. >> i think ms. dicarlo and i give the floor to those council members who wish to make statements. i give the floor first to the representative of albania. >> thank you, mr. president. dear colleagues, this is the first time the council is meeting on ukraine in a matter of weeks. every time we need, reality on the ground confirms it by bit what some of us have been anticipating. russia has been saying one thing and doing its contrary. we were told troops would shrink but they have increased. remember, they are invading a neighbor unprovoked. this -- everything unfolding

confirms test and to the world -- to assent to the world that this has nothing to do with russia's security. that this issue is a confrontation between russia and the west. this is a confrontation between russia and the u.n. charter it has deliberately chosen to ignore. a confrontation between a hegemonistic vision and the rules-based world order. the -- dear colleagues, it is not about russia's concern, it is about russia's appetite. the ukrainians are facing another aggression because they dare to exist, because they have chosen to be independent, because they have opted for democracy. dear colleagues, this is a dark out, not only for ukraine but for the entire international

community as we witness the progression of a pure act of aggression, carefully planned and cold-bloodily executed. we call for a backdown of the russian federation from this sensitive, destructive and self-destructive action. we repeat the same call for russia to stop and reflect, to reverse its illegal decisions, to withdraw and de-escalate, not to push to its precipice. mechanisms are in place and proposals have been made including by president zelensky, whose calls remain unanswered. hope dies lost. for it to work it must be seized . as the secretary-general just called for. we call on fellow members of the security council to rally support of ukraine's sovereignty and integrity.

russia has been warned repeatedly that they will be alone in this foolishness, that they will be responsible for the innocent lives lost, including russians maybe, and for the destruction in the heart of europe in the 21st century. if they choose to continue to execute their plans as everything indicates, they will bear not only the consequences of the war, but also the historic laymen shame of invading a neighboring country when its responsibility as a big country, as a permanent member of the security council, is to help preserve peace and security , not to torpedo it. we support sovereignty and integrity. in concluding, i welcome the president -- the permanent represent to have -- representative of ukraine. i would like to convey that at this critical moment in their history, they are not alone and

we stand firm in solidarity with them for their right to be free and choose who they want to be. thank you. >> i think the representative of albania for his statement. i give the floor to the representative of the united states. >> thank you, mr. president. thank you secretary-general. thank you for your strong stance and your powerful remarks today at the general assembly, and for your remarks tonight. colleagues, a few moments ago i spoke to president biden, who asked me to convey in the strongest possible terms his and our steadfast support for ukraine, and support for the urgent meeting this council has convened tonight. furthermore, he asked me to share that the united states and

our allies and partners will continue to respond to russia's actions with unity, with clarity, and with conviction. we are here tonight because we believe, along with ukraine, that a full-scale further invasion into ukraine by russia is imminent. tonight, we are seeing the russians close airspace, move troops into areas, and move forces into combat ready positions. this is a perilous moment, and we are here for one reason and one reason only. ask russia to stop, return to your borders, send your troops and your tanks and airplanes back to their barracks and hangers. send your diplomats to the negotiating table. back away from the brink before

it is too late. last week, the united states informed this council and the world about what we expected to see unfold. we said that russia would manufacture a pretext for an attack. we have since seen numerous false flag events, staged along the lines of contact. we said russia would theatrically convene emergency meetings at the highest levels of the russian government. we all saw this on monday with the state televised security council meeting held by president putin and an orchestrated moment in which the rawson -- russian government decided to recognize, i quote, independent states, unquote, sovereign territory of ukraine controlled by russia's proxies since 2014. they literally violated

ukraine's territory and integrity on live territory -- live television before the world. false proclamations would come, declaring russia would need to defend russian speakers in ukraine. we got that and much more from president putin's speech on monday. during the speech, the russian ambassador in the general assembly today. no one could have predicted how dangerous, inciting and far reaching president putin's speech would be. with putin arguing to take the world back in time to an era of empires and colonies. we said the attack would come next. that we could expect communications to be jammed, cyber attacks to shut down key ukrainian institutions. last week we attributed to russia denial of service attacks

against ukrainian banks, and we saw similar activity this morning targeting government sites as well. and in the last few hours, we have received very concerning reports of destructive malware placed on hundreds of computers and executed on at least some. after that, we said, would come the bombs and missiles, the soldiers and the tanks. already, soldiers have been deployed to the occupied region of ukraine. ladies and gentlemen, we are here tonight because we believe the rest is imminent. now, over the past few weeks, russia has called our predictions hysterical. russia said we were lying. russia said we were supplying the world with misinformation. russia diplomats even laughed in the face of the human suffering

we were sounding the alarm about. but what we said would happen, has come to pass for all the world to see. so let us be clear. all parties are not culpable here. there is no middle ground. calling for both sides to de-escalate only gives russia a pass. russia is the aggressor russia's attack on ukraine is tantamount to an attack on the u.n. and every member state in the chamber tonight. the security council is charged with adjudicating threats to peace and security. russia is bypassing it entirely, and taking matters into its own hands. and that undermines the

institution, it undermines everyone who participates in it. the united states, ukraine, its allies and partners across europe, u.n. officials, every member of the security council, we have all repeatedly implored russia to engage at the diplomatic table. those calls were not heard. instead tonight russia has brought its people, the ukrainian people, and the world to the brink of a conflict that will produce an untold amount of human suffering. i said it in the general assembly this morning, and i will say it again tonight. every day russians should be asking themselves right now, how many russian lives putin will sacrifice for his cynical

ambitions? responsible members of this security council will stand together, and we will stand with ukraine. and we will do so despite a reckless, irresponsible, permanent number of the security council abusing its powers to attack its neighbor and subvert the u.n. and our international system. this morning in the general assembly, we saw dozens of leaders from across the globe stand up to defend the u.n. charter and ukraine against russia's brazen attacks. we were proud to stand with them. today i had the opportunity to meet with the ukrainian foreign minister, and many of you were in the general assembly hall this morning, when the foreign minister received enthusiastic and overwhelming applause after his remarks. since he cannot be here this

evening, i would like to conclude by echoing his words. this morning, he warned us all that" no one will be able to sit out this crisis if president putin decides to move forward with this aggression against ukraine. your governments and your people will face painful consequences together with our government and our people," he is right. history tells us that, and we must confront this threat head-on in this council, in the u.n., and in our capitals. the people of ukraine are counting on us. let's not let them down. thank you, mr. president. >> i think the representative of the united states. i now give the floor to the

representative of the united kingdom. >> mr. president, i think the secretary-general and undersecretary general dicarlo for their remarks. we are here tonight to: russia to avert war -- to call on russia to avert war. for months, russia has been holding a gun to ukraine's head. now president putin's figure -- finger is on the trigger. a full-scale conflict in a country of 44 million people will bring immense suffering, casualties on both sides, and devastating humanitarian consequences. the members of this council, the general assembly, and the secretary-general have all called this week for respect for

the principles of the u.n. charter. the world is calling for peace, but russia is not listening. mr. president, make no mistake, the u.k. will not compromise. we will not compromise our commitment to ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. our support for peace, prosperity, and the democratic freedom of the people of ukraine. we will not compromise our commitment to the purpose and principles of the u.n. charter. above all, the founding principle of this united nations that we live together in peace with one another as good

neighbors. russia's actions are an assault on the charter, and we will not compromise our commitment to a search for peace. we're here for the second time this week in the council. my prime minister and foreign and defense secretaries have been unsparing in their diplomatic efforts, but we have also announced a significant further sanctions step against russia with our allies. a package targeted against some of the russian oligarchs, banks, and politicians supporting president putin. and we will ratchet it up economic consequences should russia continue its aggression. there is still time for

restraint, reason, and a de-escalation, but that time is now. thank you. >> i think the representative of the united kingdom for her statement. i now give the floor to the representative of france. >> president, i think the secretary-general for his engagement and for his call which france fully supports. as we speak, russia is on the verge of provoking chaos in ukraine and striking an unjustifiable blow to peace and security in the heart of europe. for several months, the president of the russian federation has patiently prepared the means for a major offensive against ukraine.

he has amassed soldiers and gathered weapons at an unprecedented level since the end of the second world war. he has incited violence through lies and disinformation. he has denied even the legitimacy of the ukrainian state. he has attacked sovereignty and the integrity of ukraine by recognizing the independence of portions of the ukrainian territory. faced with the strategy of threats and decivilization, ukraine has demonstrated admirable restraint. i wish to reiterate our solidarity with, the people of ukraine, as, president macron reminded his ukrainian counterpart a few hours ago.

faced with the strategy of disorder and confrontation, the leaders of europe and the united states showed their unity and redoubled their efforts to propose a diplomatic outcome. president macron, together with chancellor scholze, and their many partners have all done their part. they have demonstrated their ability to build with russia a renewed security architecture for europe. france strongly condemns the strategy of provocation to war of the russian president. we hear the call of the ukrainian people conveyed by president zelensky in his address to the russian nation a few hours ago. ukrainians want peace, they want a relationship of good neighborliness with russia.

marrying the family and personal relationships which bind to so many russians and ukrainians. the international community, mr. president, has made its voice heard, its united voice today at the general assembly. it is out of respect to the charter of the united nations, the peaceful settlement of disputes, that of discipline nicely -- that of diplomacy. once again, we call on the russian federation to follow this path, to draw back on its decision to recognize separatist entities of ukraine, and to call its soldiers back. we call on the members of this council to act responsibly, and to support all initiatives to prevent and put an end to

violations of the charter of the united nations. if russia confirms that its choices war, it will have to take all the responsibility and pay the price. thank you. >> i think the representative of france for his statement. i now give the floor to the representative of ireland. >> thank you, mr. president, and i would like to thank the secretary-general and undersecretary dicarlo for their sobering remarks. mr. president, tonight as we gather at this table, we are staring into the abyss of a major conflict in europe. a conflict that would have major global implications. tonight, the core principles of this united nations in which we believe are under attack. in ireland, we know the importance of the rules-based international order. we know the importance of

respecting the voice and integrity of all countries big or small. most fundamentally, we know the value of peace. we believe that one state threatening and using lethal force against another to get its way, or to expand its territory, is no solution. ireland has a deep understanding informed by our history that dialogue and respect resolve disputes. tonight, is about our solidarity to ukraine. it is about our responsibility and obligation at this table to maintain international peace and security, nothing less. that means we stand up for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of every member state of the united nations. let's be clear, the

internationally recognized borders of ukraine have not changed. the decision by russia to recognize as independent entities the nongovernment controlled areas of donetsk and luhansk does not change those borders one iota. they did not change in 2014, and they have not changed this week. we urge the russian federation to reverse this decision immediately. we urge the russian federation to refrain from further escalatory utilitarian all -- unilateral actions which can only serve to further deepen this crisis. tonight, the path for diplomacy and dialogue that we have called on for so long is perilously narrow. the principles of the u.n. charter we hold dear have already been breached.

these principles now risk being further violated. this is the time to show courage, the courage, and the time now to pull back from the precipice, the time to return to dialogue and diplomacy. the use of military aggression has no place in our modern world. have we learned absolutely nothing from our history? these united nations rules rose from the ashes of two world wars, the senseless destruction of that era was born of a belief that military might makes right. this philosophy applied with modern weaponry would unleash devastation and human suffering affecting millions of people. tonight, we stand with the people of ukraine. tonight, we stand with the u.n. charter.

we stand with those who even in this dark hour still have the courage and hope to bring us back from this precipice. i resort to military conquest for one state to impose its will unilaterally against another, to annex part of its territory, has absolutely no place in the 21st century. there is still a choice, a choice to turn from the path of war to the path of diplomacy and dialogue. mr. president, it is never too late to make the right choice. thank you. >> i thank the representative of ireland for her statement. and i now give the floor to the representative of india. >> thank you, mr. president. let me begin by thanking the

secretary-general for his briefing on the evolving situation in the eastern region of ukraine. the security council had met two days ago and discussed the situation, we had called for urgent de-escalation of sanctions, and emphasized sustained and focused upon the sea -- focus diplomacy. we know that the calls of the international community to give time to the recent initiative undertaken by parties to diffuse tensions were not heated too. -- heeded to. it is spiraling into a dangerous crisis. if not handled carefully, it may undermine the peace and security of the region. we call for immediate de-escalation and refraining from any further action that could contribute to a worsening of the situation. we call on all parties to exert great effort to bridge divergent

interests. the security of all parties should be fully taken into account. india has consistently advocated at the united nations the need for peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with international law, and with agreements entered into by parties concerned. i underlined once again that more than 20,000 indian nationals including students are located in different parts of ukraine, including in its border areas. we are facilitating the return of all indian nationals including students. we believe that the solution lies in sustained diplomatic dialogue between the parties. in the meantime, we must emphasize the need for all sides to maintain peace and security by exercising restraint. i thank you. >> i thank the representative of

india for his statement, and i now give the floor to the representative of the united arab emirates. >> mr. president, this is the first meeting held by the council on ukraine in light of the recent developments. my country has taken a firm position calling for de-escalation and to find a peaceful solution to the crisis between the concerned parties. we would like to find out the following. first, we affirm the importance of engaging in dialogue with good faith while trying to find

a diplomatic efforts at all levels to support peace on the basis of international law. the minsk agreement constitutes a good solution to the crisis. second, we stress the importance of adherence to the principles of international law and the charter of the united nations. respecting the sovereignty of the state. adherence to these principles and compliance with the charter of the united stations -- nations constitutes the way to a peaceful solution to the crisis. we reiterate that the crisis in eastern ukraine could exacerbate the critical conditions. furthermore, there are obstacles

to the delivery of humanitarian assistance to those in need. even before the recent tensions arised, particularly near they conflict lines in ukraine. it could worsen the humanitarian situation for a larger number in the. -- in need. and in this regard, we urge all parties not to obstruct the access to humanitarian aid or the movement of civilians in conflict areas in accordance with their obligations under international law. finally, mr. president, we reiterate the importance of de-escalation, constructive dialogue, and to continue efforts to reach peaceful solutions consistent with

international law and the charter of the united nations. thank you. >> i thank the representative of the united arab emirates, and i now give the floor to the representative of norway. >> president, i think the secretary-general, and the undersecretary dicarlo for their important statement. we are facing the dire prospect of a major war in europe. norway strongly condemns the decision by president putin to send russian troops into done that's -- donetsk and luhansk regions, and the latest announcement of special military operations. these decisions are unjustified, unprovoked, and irresponsible. we call on russia to reverse these decisions, and to immediately, completely, and

unconditionally withdraw all its military forces from the territory of ukraine, and in the vicinity of internationally recognized borders. our thoughts are with those who have already suffered too much due to this conflict, and with all those who are afraid that tomorrow will be a lot worse. we call upon all parties to respect the relevant provisions of international humanitarian law, which calls for the protection of civilians including humanitarian personnel and infrastructure, and to facilitate safe and unhindered humanitarian access to those in need in ukraine. like the secretary-general stated, the decision of the russian federation to recognize the so-called independence of the donetsk and luhansk regions are violations of the

territorial integrity of ukraine, and are inconsistent with the principles of the charter of the united nations. let me recall the principles and purposes of the u.n. charter which are now under threat. the charter applies to all nations including russia. today in the general assembly, member states from all over the world strongly urged the parties to pursue negotiation for a peaceful resolution of the conflict with respect for international law and ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. norway urges russia as a party to the minsk agreement, and to the conflict, to fulfill its agreement to abide by international law and return to the path of diplomacy. russia has taken on a clear commitment to seek a peaceful settlement of the conflict, and must honor it. we commend ukraine's posture of restraint in the face of this.

president, let me continue by again reiterate support for ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity within internationally recognized borders. >> i give the floor to the representative of china. >> thank you you, mr. president. mr. president, the situation in ukraine is at a critical juncture. china has been paying close attention to the situation. in the current context, all parties concerned should exercise restraint. and avoid the further escalation of tensions. we believe that the door to a peaceful solution to the ukraine issue -- nor should it be.

there is a historical context of the ukraine issue, and the current situation as the result of the interplay of many factors. china's position regarding the territorial integrity of ukraine -- the principles of the u.n. charter should be jointly upheld. we hope that all parties concerned will stay coolheaded and rational, and use dialogue to resolve issues properly. through negotiations and address each other's legitimate security concerns in line with the principles of the u.n. charter. it is especially important to avoid increasing tensions, china will promote peace talks in its own ways and welcomes and

encourages all efforts to make a diplomatic solution. >> i thank the representative of china for his statement, and i give the floor to the representative of brazil. >> thank you, mr. president. i would like to thank the secretary-general and the undersecretary general rosemary decarlo for the remarks they put before the council tonight. mr. president, the reports received about the movement of troops into certain areas of donetsk and luhansk in ukraine are cause for extreme concern. the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity, sovereignty and political independence of a u.n. member states is unacceptable. in the circumstances, the security counsel must act according to its purpose, it's

responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. the exercise of this responsibility, it actions must be to assist parties in their negotiations. this is our primary role. recourse to arms and confrontation cannot lead to lasting peace. in that regard, we call on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and refrain from any action that may further increase tensions on the ground. the time is not for belligerent rhetoric nor for military threats, but to engage truly in a diplomatic process.

the road of negotiation has not been exhausted, immediate escalation -- de-escalation is of high order. they must complete a withdrawal of all military forces as an effective measure for the prevention and removal of threats to peace. parties must abide by the terms of the minsk agreement, above all, by its call for a comprehensive cease fire. the osce must be granted unrestrained access to verify and identify any violation of the ceasefire. the parties must allow the rapid, safe, and unhindered access of humanitarian assistance to those in need. the protection of civilians, including persons in vulnerable situations, must be respected

unconditionally. we redouble our calls for the parties to work constructively in all relevant instances such as the trilateral group. negotiations must be mindful of the principles of the u.n. charter including sovereignty, independence, unity, and territorial integrity of its member states. negotiations must on the one hand take into account the security concerns of all parts of the conflict, and on the other hand create adequate conditions for an inclusive political dialogue which must reflect the diversity of and include representation from all peoples of the region. we do not underestimate the complexity of the situation, but we insist on dialogue as key to

achieving a lasting settlement to this conflict. too much is at stake here. above all, the lives of many civilians. we owe them all our efforts to bring this crisis to a peaceful solution. i thank you, mr. president. >> i thank the representative of brazil for his statement, and i give the floor to the representative of ghana. >> thank you very much, mr. president. let me begin by first of all thanking the secretary general and mr. carlo for their briefings. ghana is grateful to you, they did not know that they are taking place in ukraine are indeed troubling. this has implications not only for ukraine, but also for all of

our countries. security is indivisible, and the insecurity of one is insecurity for all. ghana deeply regrets the decision of the russian federation to not recognize the government controlled regimes of ukraine. we are deeply concerned by the implications and suggest that the russian federation has gone back on the minsk agreements and the implementation of the agreement.

we have reported this morning, the president of the russian federation that the country was always open to diplomacy. should be de-escalating tensions on the ground. do not choose the path of conflict rather than peace. bear the consequences of their actions. we are concerned by reports of the commencement of warfare against ukraine, especially cyber attacks against some of its critical infrastructure. to de-escalate the situation, we ask the russian federation to consider -- reconsider the intentions to move troops into the eastern part of ukraine. peacekeeping requires consent of the parties. the president of the russian

federation, arc will not fulfill those requirements. the council should seize on the matter. we and with a call on all parties to maintain cease-fire in eastern ukraine. we are particularly concerned by the high intensity of the violations of the cease-fire and the consequences in the donbas region. we remind all parties of the responsibility to follow international law. we condemn any activity that would deliberately damage civilians and infrastructure remind all parties of the agreements exist in international law. mr. president begging the , question but nonetheless worth repeating. ghana unreservedly stands by the

sovereignty of ukraine. a member of the united nations whose membership of this organization provides grantees of internationally recognized borders. the same borders of which they joined this organization. it would not make a strategic and for either party. i encourage to address both immediate and long-term interests through diplomacy and dialogue. i remind all parties to practice tolerance. finally we take this opportunity to urge all member states to exercise restraint. under respective -- and to uphold the established laws through the charters of the united nations.

any differences that must be -- the exist must be adjusted by peaceful and legal means. i think you very much. >> i think the representative of ghana for his statement and give the floor to the representative of kenya. thank you, mr. president. >> i thank the secretary general for his urgent plea for peace and undersecretary general decarlo for her briefing. in this grave moment, kenya continues to call for respectful -- respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of ukraine in line with the ten -- core tenets of the united nations charter. kenya is deeply concerned by the rapid escalation following the recognition of donetsk, and luhansk, as independent

states by the russian federation and the continued military escalation. we are concerned that there is a serious risk they conflict enveloping the whole of the region will of her, presents trends holding. such a development would instantly lead to significant loss of life, a humanitary -- humanitarian crisis and the large scale of population movement of refugees. can you urgently calls for calm by all parties and their commitment to protecting civilians and civilian objects from any actions contrary to international law and international humanitarian law. we continue to believe there is still an opportunity for diplomacy to produce a solution to this dangerous crisis. the required diplomatic steps should seek in the short-term for the deescalation of the situation and the limiting of all military maneuvers to

prevent sparking a wider conflict. for this to happen, there must also be a stated commitment to negotiations between nato and the russian federation in the middle and long term. such a commitment would need to design a viable security architecture for europe that protects the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of ukraine and other states while being sensitive to the concerns of all relevant parties. mr. president, we want to believe that this chamber in light of its storied past retains the wisdom and wherewithal to prevent a catastrophic war. we are confident that the united nations charter protects ukraine and all countries. not only those with modest military means but also the

world's nuclear powers. when we consider the recent paths of war undertaken by choice and when the charter and international law are breached, eventually the safety and security of all parties was tragically undermined. mr. president, the membership of this chamber was fundamentally shaped by the states which emerged victorious from world war ii. in doing so, the charter put on them a special responsibility that reflected the sacrifices they made to defeat a unique evil to mankind. we believe that the leaders today -- were be profoundly humbled. so much so that they were inspired to erect the sovereign equality of states on a central pillar of our united nations.

as such, we urge all members to recall the war that has been experienced by most states sitting around this table. it is in this moment of peril that we can recommit to the charter our predecessors bequeathed us. a large part of that would be aided by our listening to the secretary general and utilizing the office to deliver according to their intended design. in the coming days, we hope we will observe the deescalation in donbas and every effort will be made to protect the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence of ukraine. we further hope that we will benefit from the visionary leadership that the world needs today in committing to negotiating a lasting european security architecture that lowers perceptions of threats and promotes cooperation. i thank you.

>> i thank the representative of kenya for his statement and give the floor to the representative of gabon. >> thank you. i thank the secretary general for his statement as well as undersecretary decarlo for the information she provided. this is the fourth time in three weeks this council is meeting to discuss the situation in ukraine. we are meeting this evening, 48 hours after our last meeting on the subject because the territorial integrity and the national sovereignty of ukraine have been attacked. we are meeting this evening because men, women and children are caught in murderous violence in eastern ukraine leading to a

massive exodus which imperils their dignity and safety. we meet this evening because once again, the specter of a war with redoubtable consequences hangs over an entire region and because we fear an imminent invasion of ukraine. we see an attack on the fundamental principles of the charter of the united nations. and we must go further and ensure that all of the provisions of the charter are respected and that the international community focus with the same commitment on the need for preserving peace and security. the decision of russia to recognize the independence of

donetsk and lujan -- luhansk sidelines the relevance and importance over the menacing -- of the minsk agreements and heightens an imminent military attack on ukraine. my country remains attached to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of every state. the perspective of these principles is the basis of our social contract as members of the international community. we are persuaded that intense diplomatic activity in recent weeks will lead to the prevalence of dialogue and contribute to avoiding the irreparable -- eight years ago mr. president in a conflict similar to that which brings us here today, two member states of

the general assembly abstained while the same fundamental principles of the charter of the united nations that bring us together today were violated. this refusal to align themselves not very long ago translates a lack of understanding, perhaps of the international community of the persistence of zones of influence which we thought had been overcome after the end of colonization. unfortunately this terrible , reality remains in several regions of the world, in asia and africa and today in europe once again. this council must guarantee the fundamental principles of the charter. it must ensure the respect of

national sovereignty and territorial integrity. we call for an immediate cease-fire and deescalation as well as a sense of responsibility by giving priority to the peaceful settlement of conflicts in accordance with the charter and call for protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure and refraining from any action that could create an obstacle for the provision of humanitarian assistance for the population that is so sorely needed. i wish to conclude by reiterating my country's attachment to a rules-based international order, one based on the rule of law, not on the law that the strongest will prevail. thank you very much, sir. >> i thank the representative of gabon for his statement and give the floor to the representative

of mexico. >> thank you, mr. president. my country is grateful for call of the secretary-general that in this chamber, and we thank him for being here. we also thank ms. decarlo for her briefing. despite widespread calls from the international community tensions around ukraine instead , of having decreased have , increased. for this reason, we see ourselves obliged to meet once again in this chamber. we all, as member states, having ratified the charter of the united nations committed , ourselves to respecting the sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity of states. we members of the security council have the responsibility first for the maintenance of peace and international security. this creates the obligation to guarantee that the security

council can perform its mandates and ensure the respect for the charter of the united nations. mexico supports all of the secretary general's statements and calls on parties to avail themselves of the good offices which the secretary general has offered. the president of mexico declared just this morning we will not accept the invasion of one country by another, since it is against international law. we recall once again that russia , a few days ago, in this very chamber, before the international community, made an emphatic declaration that it would not invade ukraine. the sending of a special mission runs counter to this statement. if there were an invasion, this would be an act of aggression in accordance with the resolution 3314 of the general assembly.

we will not waiver in our call for detente diplomacy and dialogue. a diplomatic solution is the only way of drawing away from the precipice which would be a , war in europe. thank you very much, sir. >> i thank the representative of mexico for her statement and now i shall make a statement in my capacity as a representative of the russian federation. colleagues, today we have had an intensive day from point of view of discussions of the ukrainian crisis. i repeat what i said this morning at the general assembly. i can only say with regret, taking stock over the day our signal to kyiv to stop or not heeded. our ukrainian colleagues recently have been -- bombed and egged on by a host of states are

harboring the illusion that with the benediction of their western sponsors they will be able to achieve a military solution to the problem in donbass. that explains the intensification of shelling and acts of diversion on the territories of these republics. we reported today almost 2,000 cases of violations of the cease-fire regime including , almost 1,500 explosions. those living in donetsk still sheltering in basements. the refugees are still flowing into russia. you don't want to notice this, repeating the ukrainian fairy tales that those living in donetsk are all but shelling themselves. it is no surprise it does not seem to affect our western colleagues. through the whole day of debate today at the general assembly you have not been able to find , one word of compassion or condolences. it is as if these 4 million

people, for you, simply don't exist. i would like to recall the principle of sovereignty, calls for an equality of states, the violation of which we are being accused of violating in ukraine, according to declaration of principles of international law, adopted in 1970, they should be fully complied with as states -- as regards states who conduct themselves in compliance with the principle of equal rights and self-determination of people, representing the people, without distinction of race, creed or color, the whole people living in that territory. today's government in the ukraine is not that.

when in dialogue with the russian-speaking citizens of ukraine, the new authorities brandished guns and airplanes at them. it is a test might to this end is more than sufficient. however our western colleagues prefer not to notice this. we tried yesterday and today for to explain to you the logic of the decision made by russia to recognize the lp r & d pr and focus on peace and security there. however, you don't want to hear this and you don't want to hear it now. for years, those living in donbas are pawns in a game of -- geopolitical game of weakening russia. for us, these people are women, children, the elderly who for eight years have been cowering from ukraine shelling.

this is a difference in our approaches. if you do not change the geo-political lens, you will ever understand. then on whose behalf this decision was made, have not been thought about over these eight years simply calling them pro-russian separatists and terrorists. those are the most important -- the root of today's crisis around ukraine is the actions of ukraine. who for many years of sabotaging its obligations under the minsk package of measures. last week, there was a hope that kyiv would rethink and implement what it signed up to do in 2015. they needed direct dialogue with demands and luhansk. -- do not and luhansk. however they are not ready for this dialogue and steps to grant

donbass a special state in accordance with the minsk agreement, with the support of this position from western backers finally convinced us that we simply cannot force those living in the donbas to -- -- suffer more. the ukrainian provocation against those in donbass a not only has not stopped but has intensified. the leaders of the lpr and dpr turned to us to provide support in line with bilateral cooperation agreements, agreed at the same time as recognition. this is a logical step which is a consequence of the actions of the ukrainian regime. during this meeting, the president of russia spoke with -- said that he made a decision for a special military operation in donbass. we don't know all of the details today but briefly i would like to inform you that from his

status, the occupation of ukraine is not in our plans. the aim of this special operation is to protect the people who for over eight years have been suffering genocide from the kyiv regime and for this we will deem -- the genocide of ukraine. also support those and hold accountable those who carried out so many crimes against civilians. this decision was made in line with article 51 of the u.n. charter and section of the russian federation and fulfilling the agreement and recognition. we were receiving a lot of information and we will analyze this and keep you up to speed with this. now i resume my function as president of this council and i give the floor to the representative of ukraine.

>> distinguished members of the security council, secretary general, undersecretary, before i try to deliver part of the statement that i came here with tonight, most of it is already useless. since 10:00 p.m. new york time. i would like to cite article 4 of the u.n. charter. and it says, " membership in the united nations is open to all peace loving states which accept the obligations contained in the present charter and in the judgment of the organization

are able and willing to carry out these obligations" -- these obligations." russia is not able to carry out any of the obligations. the ambassador of the russian federation, three minutes ago, confirmed his president has declared a war on my country. so before i read part of my statement, i would like to avail the presidents -- the presence of the secretary-general and request the secretary general to distribute among the members of the security council and the members of the general assembly , the legal memos by the legal council over the united nations

dated december 1991. ,and in particular the legal , memo dated 19th of december, 1991. the one that we have been trying to get out of the secretary for a very long time and we were denied to get it. article 4, paragraph two of the charter reads, " the admission of any state for membership in the united nations will be affected by the decision of the general assembly upon the recommendation of the security council." mr. secretary-general, please instruct to distribute among the members of the security council and members of the general assembly a decision by the security council dated december,

1991 that recommends that the russian federation can be a member of this organization. as well as the decision by the general assembly dated december 1991 where the general assembly , welcomes the russian federation to this organization. it would be a miracle if the secretary was able to produce such decisions. there is nothing in the charter of the united nations about continuity as a sneaky way to get into the organization. so when i was coming here an hour ago, i was intending the -- to ask the russian ambassador to confirm, on the record, that the russian troops will not

start firing at ukrainians today and go ahead with the offensive. it became useless 48 minutes ago. because about 48 minutes ago, your president declared war on ukraine. so now i would like to ask the ambassador of the russian federation to say it, on the record, that at this very moment your troops do not shell and bomb ukrainian cities. that your troops do not move in the territory of ukraine. you have a smart phone. you can call now. we can make a pause to let you go out and call him. if you are not in the position

to give an affirmative answer, the russian federation ought to relinquish responsibilities of the president of the security counsel, pass these responsibilities to a legitimate member over the security council council, a member that is respectful of the charter and i ask the members of the security council to convene an emergency meeting immediately and consider all necessary decisions to stop the war because it is too late, my dear colleagues to speak about , deescalation. too late. the russian president declared a war. should i play the video of your president? should i do that right now? you can confirm it.

do not interrupt me, please. thank you. >> don't ask me questions when i'm speaking. >> you declared the war, it is the responsibility of this body to stop the war. so i call on every one of you to do everything possible to stop the war. or should i play the video of your president declaring the war? thank you very much. >> i must say that i thank the representative of ukraine for his statement and the questions i wasn't planning to answer them because i have already said all i know at this point, waking up mr. lavrov at this time is something i don't plan to do. the information we have is something we provide. this is not called a war. this is called a military

-- a special military operation in donbas. i now give the floor to the representative from germany. >> mr. president, we meet at the very moment of a military escalation we have not experienced in europe for over a generation's time. the president of the russian federation announced a military operation on ukrainian territory. we condemn this in the strongest possible terms. we call upon all members of the security council and the united nations to now stand up for you -- for ukraine and against a shameless breach of international law. two days ago russia's decision , to recognize the self-proclaimed so-called peoples republic of donetsk and luhansk was harshly rejected in this council. it had already dealt a devastating blow to the principles and international order that the united nations stands for. russia has not listened and it

turns out it was not prepared to listen. it has continued its massive military build-up and we observed and observed cyber attacks directed against ukraine and now russian military is moving into ukrainian territory. by the actions and this unprovoked military action, -- military operations of russia is violating the core principles of the u.n. charter. we condemn the use of force against innocent people and the violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of ukraine in the strongest possible terms. we urge russia to terminate its military action against ukraine immediately and restore its troops. mr. president, our thoughts are with the ukrainian people. we will be steadfast in our support for ukraine and our support for the u.n. charter. the russian aggression will come at an unprecedented price

politically, economically and morally. mr. president, france, ukraine and my country stood ready for diplomacy. for the summit that ukraine proposed with our allies and partners, we called on russia to seek a diplomatic way forward, in vain. now is the moment to speak up and defend the international order of the u.n. charter against unilateral aggression, jointly and tonight we stand with ukraine and we are doing so unwavering and determined. thank you, mr. president. >> i thank the representative from germany for her statement. and now i give the floor to the united states who wishes to make , a further statement. >> thank you. in my remarks tonight, i said that we predicted russia's false flag attacks.

the misinformation, the theatrical emergency meetings and cyber attacks. one piece had not come to pass. unfortunately, while we have meeting -- been meeting in the security council tonight, it appears that president putin has ordered that last step. at the exact time as we are gathered in the council seeking peace, putin delivered a message of war, in total disdain for the responsibility of this council. this is a grave emergency. the council will need to act and we will put a resolution on the table tomorrow. as president biden said tonight, russia alone is responsible for the death and destruction this attack will bring. and the united states and our

allies and partners will respond in a united and decisive way. the world will hold russia accountable. thank you. >> i think the representative of the united states for her statement. i would now like to give the floor to the representative of the united kingdom who asks to make a further statement. >> thank you. as we sat in this chamber urging russia to step back, president putin announced special military operations on ukrainian territory. this is unprovoked and unjustified. this is a great day for ukraine and for the principles of the united nations. we and our partners have been clear that there will be consequences for russia's actions.

we fully support the united states' call for u.n. security council resolution. this council must do all it can to stop the war and uphold the charter. thank you. >> i think representative of the united kingdom and now give the floor to the representative of albania who also wished to make , a further statement. >> dear colleagues. we could not end this meeting with what we have feared and anticipated is happening. explosions are reported in kyiv and several of the cities in ukraine. tanks are in. as we speak, russia is -- its -- is implementing its plan in attacking a neighbor to whom it decided to deny existence, freedom, land, dignity and life.

we call on all of the members of the united nations to rally in support of ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. to stand with ukraine and its people, to condemn fully this aggression, to stand for peace, rules, international law and whatever measures they deem necessary to show the aggressor that there actions will bear consequences. to reiterate, russia will be held responsible for causing unprovoked war, for causing pain and destruction. for bringing, for choosing to become -- without cooperation. russia will bear historical blame for consequences for invading a neighboring country and attempting to destroy european security. let's make sure it will not succeed. thank you. >> i thank the representative of

albania and give the floor to the representative of france for a further statement. >> mr. president, at the time, when we were in an emergency meeting, to try to prevent the worst and from war breaking out, we learned that the president of the russian federation had coordinated a special military operation in donbas and that russia will do it utmost to demilitarize ukraine. russia has therefore chosen war. france condemns in the strongest possible terms, the initiation of these operations. this decision, announced at the very moment when the council was meeting shows the disdain that

russia has for international law and for the united nations. russia must be accountable to the security council for this reason. france will join its partners in this council and in the hours to come, we will prepare a resolution condemning the war conducted by russia. we call on all members of this council to support us and under these tragic circumstances we call on the russian federation to respect international humanitarian law no matter what the circumstance is. we call for the protection and respect of all civilians , including particularly full marble persons, women, children and humanitarian personnel. thank you, sir. >> i think the representative of france and i give the floor now to the representative of ireland to make a further statement.

>> thank you, mr. president. when i spoke earlier, i said that the path for diplomacy and the path for dialogue was perilously narrow. i didn't realize, in fact, how narrow and indeed how close to the precipice we were just over an hour ago. we now see that the path has been closed by the announcement of a military aggression on the part of the russian federation against ukraine. that is something that we roundly condemn. we stand with the people of ukraine tonight with every man, woman and child who has seen this news as we did as we sat here in the chamber. whose lives are at risk. we believe there is now time indeed for this council to stand up and assume its responsibility and to speak out in the strongest possible terms about

this act of aggression. thank you, mr. pregnant -- president. >> i now give the floor to the representative of ukraine to make a further statement. >> as i said, relinquish her duties of the chair. call putin to stop aggression. i welcome the decision of some members of this council. as soon as possible to consider the necessary decision. we must condemn the aggression that you have launched on my people. there is no purgatory for war criminals. they go straight to hell, ambassador. >> i wanted to say in conclusion that we are not being aggressive against ukrainian people but

against the junta that is in power in kyiv. there are no more speakers on the list. this meeting is adjourned. [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2022] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, whic