Statement by the Republic of Slovenia at the briefing on the Maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine

Thank you Mr. President,

I wish to thank Assistant Secretary-General and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator Ms. Msuya for her briefing and wish to make a couple of points on behalf of my delegation.

One. Russia’s relentless attacks on Ukrainian critical energy infrastructure. This represents another in the line of flagrant violations of international humanitarian law by Russia. In the city of Kharkiv, practically all power generation capabilities were destroyed, as was the most of the transmission infrastructure connecting the city with the rest of the Ukrainian power system.

The situation throughout the country presents a great challenge for the summer months and is almost insurmountable for the coming winter months.

Targeting critical energy infrastructure has zero military value, its only goal is bombing the Ukrainian population into submission. Slovenia condemns attacks against energy generation and transmission infrastructure in the strongest possible terms.

Two. Rising numbers of internally displaced persons. An estimated 3.7 million people are internally displaced in Ukraine. This number surged in May, when Russia opened another front in the Kharkiv region. Almost 20.000 people fled from the areas of active fighting to the city of Kharkiv, only to be exposed to further Russian aerial attacks on the city itself.

As reported by ASG Msuya earlier this morning, the girls and boys in frontline regions spent the equivalent of seven months underground. Colleagues, that is no way to spend a childhood.

Attacks against civilian infrastructure, which provides essential services for the civilian population, need to end. A shopping centre and a printing house are not military targets. 50 civilian casualties in one day is not collateral damage. It is time for these so called “highly precise” Russian strikes to end. It is time for all attacks to end and for Russia to withdraw all its troops from Ukraine.

Three. A prospect for peace. Slovenia fully supports the peace summit that will take place in Switzerland in a couple of days and will attend it at the highest level. We call on all Member States to attend the summit and make this a first meaningful step towards peace.

Ukraine and its people desperately need peace, the wider region needs peace and this is the first step in the right direction.

I thank you.

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