Poland in the UN

On November 27, 2024, Poland participated in the UN Security Council briefing on the situation in Ukraine.

The full statement delivered by Krzysztof Szczerski, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Poland to the UN in New York, is available below.

Madam President, 

Excellencies,

I would like to thank ASG Jenča for his briefing.

Poland aligns itself with the statement that is going to be delivered by the European Union.

Just last week, we gathered in this Council to mark the grim milestone of 1,000 days since Russia's unprovoked and brutal invasion of Ukraine. This sobering anniversary should have served as a wake-up call to the international community. Yet, Russia, undeterred, has chosen to escalate the conflict further, demonstrating a blatant disregard for international law and human life.

Furthermore, Russia's increasingly active support from other states is transforming this war into a collective act of aggression.

Madam President,

Russia has intensified its aggression against Ukraine through a combination of verbal threats and military actions. The recent air attacks against Dnipro on November 21, targeting Ukrainian civilians and civilian infrastructure, with the use of a modified RS-26 "Rubezh" intermediate-range ballistic missile "Oreshnik," capable of carrying nuclear warheads represents a new level of danger in the conflict with Ukraine. This move, coupled with the revision of Russia's nuclear doctrine, constitutes another instance of nuclear saber-rattling, further undermining the global security architecture.

Such behaviour not only threatens the stability of Ukraine and the region but also increases the risk of wider conflict and nuclear proliferation. The Kremlin’s aim is clear: to intimidate Ukraine and its supporters and sway public opinion to deter international support, but this will not happen. The international community must send a clear message to Russia: its nuclear threats will not be tolerated.

Poland strongly opposes and deplores such reckless actions, calling on Russia to cease its aggression, withdraw its troops from internationally recognised territories of Ukraine, and return to the path of diplomacy.

We reiterate that Ukraine's defensive operations to diminish Russia's capacity to wage its illegal war are a legitimate exercise of its inherent right to self-defense, fully in line with international law and Article 51 of the UN Charter.

In contrast, Russia, as the aggressor, continues to violate fundamental principles of international law, including the prohibition of the use of force against the territorial integrity and sovereignty of any state.

Russian authorities and soldiers must be held accountable for all crimes committed in Ukraine. If they go unpunished by international justice, aggressive Moscow could inspire other actors to replace international law with a 'might makes right' approach. This could lead to a world where coercion and intimidation replace peaceful negotiations and time-consuming reconciliation in every region.

Madam President,

Any future peace must be grounded in the UN Charter and international law, and must be negotiated and agreed upon by Ukraine. We believe that President Zelensky's Peace Formula currently best embodies these principles.

I thank you.