Mr. President,
Mr. Secretary-General,

We are here today because of an act of aggression against a founding member of the United Nations.

An act of aggression that is unprovoked, unjustified, and unprecedented in recent history.

It is illegal, illegitimate and unacceptable.

The international community cannot and must not condone the changing of borders by use of force.

This is one of the foundational principles of the United Nations.

We can never condone the killing of civilians.

This is one of the main tenets of humanity.

We can never condone shelling of cities.

This is one of the main rules of international humanitarian law.

Mr. President,

Russia’s attack against Ukraine is a clear and grave violation of international law.

It is an act of defiance against the rules based international system.

It is an affront to the UN Charter.

It constitutes a flagrant violation of Ukraine’s independence, political unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Only the Ukrainian people can determine their own destiny with their free will.

Türkiye rejects and deplores these unlawful acts that threaten regional and global security.

We also deplore the recent escalation of the Russian rhetoric that entails a reference to nuclear weapons.

We reject Russia’s decision to recognize the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk Republics, as we have rejected the illegal annexation of Crimea, and call for its revocation.

In the face of the ongoing act of aggression against Ukraine, we remain unequivocal in our support for Ukraine’s independence, territorial integrity, unity and sovereignty, within its internationally recognized borders.

Mr. President,

Several countries, including my own, have sought to facilitate negotiations.

And we tirelessly continue to explore avenues of dialogue and diplomacy.

Unfortunately, Russia has chosen another path.

Once again, we call on Russia to hear the pleas of the international community and of its own people on the streets, and stop its military operations, withdraw all its forces from Ukraine, and return to diplomacy and dialogue without delay.

We call upon both parties to start negotiations on the basis of the Minsk Agreements and security concerns of all.

It is not too late to do the right thing.

Türkiye is ready to once again facilitate any effort in any format in the direction of a peaceful way out of this situation.

Mr. President,

Since the beginning of Russia’s egregious military assault, hundreds of people have lost their lives.

Thousands of civilians, Ukrainians and others have been forced to flee in fear for their lives.

Right now, we need a humanitarian pause.

And I repeat: we need a humanitarian pause.

It is the only way to prevent a grave and irreversible loss of innocent civilian lives.

Therefore, the talks that began today between the parties must be result-oriented for a ceasefire. It should be approached with good faith and not be misused to buy time.

Mr. President,

The United Nations is not powerless.

The role of the United Nations cannot be reduced to a post-conflict humanitarian intervention service.

Yes, the Security Council has failed.

But that does not doom the most democratic institution of the multilateral system to failure.

The Member States of the United Nations can and should defend the Charter.

We must defend the people we have pledged to serve.

And we must do it more effectively than the Security Council.

This Assembly will be presented with a draft resolution for adoption.

This will not be a decision that requires much thinking. It is a simple choice between right and wrong, it is a choice between rule of law and chaos.

We have the power to pave the way for a peaceful solution.

But if we fail to take action, the rising death toll will rest on the conscience of humanity for decades to come.

History will not judge us kindly.

We will be remembered as the generation that did not defend helpless people.

A generation that stood by idly while a country was reduced to rubble.

Mr. President,

This is not 1914. This is not 1939.

Now we have a rules-based international order. We have the United Nations.

Russian aggression towards Ukraine will not in any way undermine our common values nor our collective strength.

Ukraine is a founding member of this Organization.

Seventy-six years ago, my delegation signed the Charter of the United Nations and then passed it to the representative of Ukraine to sign.

Mr President,

My country will continue to resolutely oppose war and aggression, press forth for peace, and stand by the international law and Charter of the United Nations.

Thank you.