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Statement on Russia’s upcoming presidential election

Statement by Representative of Slovenia to the UN Security Council Ambassador Samuel Žbogar at the briefing on the maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine

Thank you Mr President and I want to thank Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo for her comprehensive briefing.

Mr President,

Let me focus on three messages on today’s topic:

First, let me start with an undisputed fact and that is that these days Russia is organizing presidential elections not just on its own territory, but also on the territory of another sovereign member of the United Nations against the will of that country. Slovenia denounces the attempted illegal annexation and subsequent holding of Russian elections on Ukrainian territory.

Russia calls parts of Ukraine it has seized the “new territories”. This reflects a colonial logic of an age long past. Annexation amounts to an act of aggression. It is forbidden by international law and goes against purposes and principles of the UN Charter.

Second, what is the outlook for peace in Ukraine in the context of these elections? We have serious doubts in the sincerity of the Russian claims towards its openness for peace talks. Holding elections in the illegally seized territories does not signal readiness for diplomacy. It rather demonstrates an intention to continue to pursue its agenda with military might. Its renewed nuclear weapons rhetoric is worrisome and simply unacceptable under any circumstances.

Peace needs to come to Ukraine and we have hopes for a peace process to materialize soon. We call on Russia to cease with its belligerent narrative and demonstrate it really wants peace.

Third, speaking of elections where they can be legally held – that is in the internationally recognized territory of Russia – we are disappointed that, contrary to its commitments as an OSCE participant state, for the first time Russia decided not to invite OSCE observers to its presidential election. We regret that the country’s voters will be deprived of this instrument of impartial and independent assessment of their elections.

Thank you.

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