UN Security Council Briefing on Maintenance of Peace and Security of Ukraine
Statement delivered by H.E. Rein Tammsaar, Permanent Representative of Estonia on behalf of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia
29 May 2025, New York
President,
I have the honor to speak on behalf of the three Baltic states – Latvia, Lithuania and my own country, Estonia. We align ourselves with the statement by the European Union.
President,
Today marks the 1190th day of the Russian full-scale aggression against Ukraine which continues to be a flagrant violation of international law. Russia has had exactly 1190 days to put an end to its aggression, withdraw from the territory of Ukraine and restore peace.
There hasn’t been a day since the beginning of the Russian aggression when Russia has not bombed Ukraine. Even this last weekend, while Russia claims that it is actively pursuing peace, it conducted the most intense wave of aerial attacks against Ukraine since the beginning of the aggression, using roughly one thousand drones and missiles to deliberately attack civilians and civilian infrastructure. This terror should be confronted and condemned by all who claim to stand for peace and justice
President,
Since Russia’s aggression, Ukraine has repeatedly expressed its unwavering commitment and political will to reach a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in line with the UN Charter, international law and relevant UN General Assembly resolutions. Ukraine agreed to a full and unconditional ceasefire proposed by the United States. President Zelensky expressed readiness to meet with Putin to discuss peace, but Russian side ignored this opportunity, sending a sham, delegation instead. We see Kremlin dragging its feet and using all sorts of false excuses while raising already unreasonable demands even further, making it clear that Moscow has no interest in agreeing to a real ceasefire in Ukraine.
How long do we have to endure this drawn-out routine all the while Russia keeps on implementing its genocidal policy? This is not madness, but a deliberate attempt by Russia to eradicate any hope Ukrainians have. Russia is adopting the tactics of the Nazis who systematically carpet-bombed London in 1940-1941, with the aim of making the British population feel terrified and hopeless and force its leaders to surrender. The Nazis failed and so will Russia. The losses of Russian troops are skyrocketing, advances on the ground are minimal, and reports on the future of Russia’s economy are increasingly bleak.
At the same time, Kremlin is at pains trying to convince all of us, the United States in particular, that our support to Ukraine is futile. Russia is calculating that by demonstrating its ability to harm Ukraine, it can also paralyze our political will to support Kyiv. However, Russia’s assessment of the situation seems to be as “adequate” as was their original expectation to overrun Ukraine in 3 days. We will never leave Ukraine at the mercy of the paranoid dictator. Russia’s aggression and imperial zeal can only be curbed by increased joint international pressure to force Russia into peace in Ukraine and cease Russian aggression once and for all.
Persuasion and appeasement are perceived as a weakness in Moscow and therefore embolden the aggressor. Only increasing support to the victim of the aggression, Ukraine, and raising the cost of aggression for Russia can pave the way to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine. Full accountability is an integral part of any just peace. By establishing the Special Tribunal on Russia´s crime of aggression against Ukraine under the auspices of the Council of Europe, we bring to justice those individuals who have committed crimes.
President,
We welcome the talks in Istanbul between Ukraine and Russia on 16th of May and the subsequent exchange of prisoners of war between the two sides. We call on Russia to immediately proceed with an all-for-all prisoners swap, as Ukraine proposed a long time ago. It should also be noted that released Ukrainian and Russian prisoners of war appear to be in very different physical condition. The testimonies of the returned Ukrainian prisoners of war are consistent with the UN reporting on the widespread abuse and torture conducted in revived Russian Gulag prison network. We therefore urge Russia to respect international law and the Geneva conventions: stop torture, starvation and ill treatment of prisoners of war and ensure their access to adequate medical assistance.
President,
We continue to stand by Ukraine and reiterate our collective efforts aimed at reaching a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine in line with the UN Charter, international law and relevant UN General Assembly resolutions.
I thank you.
