Explanation of vote by Representative of Slovenia to the UN Security Council Ambassador Samuel Žbogar at the meeting on the maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine

Thank you Mr. President,

It is exactly three years since the Russian Federation launched its aggression on Ukraine. In clear violation of the UN Charter.

After three years of death and destruction, a just and lasting peace is long overdue.

There is nobody but nobody who wants peace more than Ukrainians and Europeans.

The fundamental question remains – how should the Council, tasked with upholding international peace and security, pronounce itself about peace?

Perhaps we should lend an ear to the Secretary-General. Who for three years has been underlining that a lasting peace needs to be firmly anchored in the UN Charter and its principles.

A saying goes that a person convinced against their will is against you still.

There will be peace, but it needs to be just, and it needs to last.

We understand and respect the aim of the US resolution. To set in motion a path leading to peace. To agree on a baseline leading to peace negotiations. We fully support this aim.  

However, for us it is vital to determine the frame accompanying any peace negotiations at the very outset.

If you don’t know where you are going, any road will lead you there.

The least we should be able to agree is for the peace negotiations to be conducted within the frame of principles of the UN Charter, including its principle of sovereign equality and territorial integrity of states.

And this was the aim of our proposed amendments. To align ourselves with principles of the UN Charter as well as with clearly expressed message sent this morning from the general membership to the Security Council.   

Unfortunately, the text we voted on fell short of our minimum requirements.

Mr. President,

Slovenia recognizes that this Council is finally moving towards its primary task with regard to the war on Ukraine – ensuring a just and lasting peace. Slovenia has been calling for peace in Ukraine for a long time.

We hope to soon continue our work towards a resolution on Ukraine that reflects the views of the countries from the region.

Thank you.

Recent Statements