… the United Kingdom welcomes this opportunity to discuss the repeated violations of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity at the hands of Russia. Russia’s aggression towards Ukraine is not limited to the Donbas and Crimea – Russia seeks to undermine Ukraine at every opportunity; undermining the ceasefire; supplying the Russian-backed separatists with weapons and calling illegitimate elections – all in breach of the Minsk agreement. These actions have a tragic impact on the lives of Ukrainian civilians. As the French ambassador said: in the five years since this conflict began, over 12,800 people have lost their lives. Almost 25,000 have been injured. And 3.5 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance. Russia bears a heavy responsibility for the ongoing loss of life. …
Mr. President, next month marks the fifth anniversary of the illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia. And it’s worth reminding ourselves of the facts. In response to Russia’s plans for an illegal and illegitimate referendum in Crimea, the Security Council on 15 March 2014 voted on a draft resolution that reaffirmed the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine and noted that Ukraine had not authorized the referendum and that it had no validity. Russia vetoed that resolution. Following the illegal and illegitimate referendum in Crimea on 16 March, on 27 March 2014, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 68262 supported by 100 member states which affirmed the General Assembly’s commitment to the territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders and underscored the invalidity of the referendum.
Mr. President, we not only object to the illegal annexation of Crimea because it is illegal. We also object to it due to the Russian government’s appalling treatment of many of those who live there. Human rights violations are prevalent. Ethnic and religious groups such as the Crimean Tatars are persecuted. Mr. President, despite calls in General Assembly resolutions for the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to visit Crimea, Russia continues to refuse. We, the international community must stand united and call for Russia to release all political prisoners and allow urgent, unrestricted access for human rights monitoring organizations immediately. Again, what does the Russian Federation not want the world to see?
Mr. President, less than three months ago, Russian authorities admitted to using force in the Black Sea to seize three Ukrainian naval vessels injuring three Ukrainian servicemen. These actions are not in conformity with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and they are a blatant attempt to destabilize Ukraine by harming economic activities of other ports of Berdyansk and Mariupol – hampering Ukraine’s ability to manage its economy. …We cannot and will not ignore such actions. They represent a serious challenge to the international rules-based order. This is an order which benefits us all and keeps us safe. To protect it, the international community must continue to stand united and remain focused on Russia’s behavior and its attempts to integrate Crimea into Russia – including through the construction of a bridge across the Kerch Strait.
…I take note of the Russian ambassador’s enthusiasm for Security Council meetings on Ukraine and look forward next time to hearing about what Russia is doing to meet its obligations and bring an end to the suffering of the people of Ukraine. Thank you, Mr. President.
– Ambassador Jonathan Allen, the United Kingdom’s deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, speaking at the Security Council briefing on Ukraine on February 12.