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 very much Mr. President,

I am pleased that Ms. DiCarlo was able to brief us today, my country thanks her for her participation at the peace summit in Switzerland. It was important to have the United Nations represented at this event. Any peace begins and ends with the full respect of the UN Charter, international law and relevant resolutions of the UN General Assembly.

Mr. President,

At the outset, I would like to congratulate Switzerland for hosting a successful Summit on Peace in Ukraine in Bürgenstock last weekend, attended by almost 100 delegations. A Joint Communique, signed by the vast majority of them, provides palpable groundwork for a process that should bring peace to Ukraine and stability to the wider region.

Peace and stability that are desperately needed and cannot arrive too soon. For every day and week that diplomacy is postponed, drones are maiming civilians and ballistic missiles are destroying critical civilian infrastructure across Ukraine.

 Mr. President,

We are obliged to identify avenues that will produce a just peace for Ukraine. This peace process is not anti-Russian. However, one would be right if they would view it as a rejection of aggression. One would also be right if they would view it as an instance of rejecting the use of military force for achieving political goals over diplomacy. And one would first and foremost be right to see it as a voice for upholding international law, including the UN Charter. Without respecting fundamental principles of sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, there cannot be a lasting and sustainable peace.  

As my President, Ms. Pirc Musar, put it at the summit and I quote: “The summit is a gathering of states firmly convinced that the international order based on the fundamental principles of international law and friendly relations between states, must be preserved.” End of quote.

At the same time, Slovenia is aware that there cannot be peace without the involvement of and dialogue between all parties. We hope that the Russian Federation will demonstrate genuine willingness to end the war and engage in good faith in negotiations, based on international norms.

Mr. President,

The Charter is a document that has survived many challenges through its 79 years. Based on experience from the war it provides answers and guidance to solving international problems peacefully. But at no point it justifies the aggression as a way of ending disagreements.

The UN and its Charter are the glue that holds this post-war collective security together. It is in no one’s interest to see this system erode and collapse.

That is why we see this peace summit on Ukraine in Switzerland as a first step in restoring the integrity of the Charter. Yes, not all UN members were present. And the Russian Federation was missing. But it was a first step, an opening of peace discussions. We should bring these discussions here to the UN where they belong. And hopefully, the Russian Federation will get on board. It is in the prime interest of us all, and especially of the permanent members of the Council to have relevance of the Charter and relevance of the Council restored and reconfirmed. This should be first and foremost in the Russian interest. 

Mr. President,

In order to provide people of Ukraine, and people of Russia for that matter, with a secure future, perhaps what this Council needs to start with, is building trust.

Thank you.

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