Ambassador Holland dismisses Russian disinformation and underlines the UK's support to Ukraine in its aim to ensure Russia cannot attack it again.
Thank you, Mister Chair. It will not surprise you or anyone else here to hear from me today a restatement of UK commitment to Ukraine. There has been a lot of nonsense spoken in this room about the UK's position over recent weeks. The actions taken by the UK Prime Minister over the last week, including at the London Summit, make very clear how wrong any suggestion that the UK wants to prolong the war in Ukraine actually is.
But the UK believes that the legal and political commitments that we signed up to after the Second World War mean something. These commitments, including the UN Charter, the Helsinki Final Act and the Charter of Paris, form a framework for our stability. They clearly state how we should expect countries to behave towards each other and to our citizens. Fundamentals such as sovereignty, territorial integrity and the right to choose alliances are not negotiable - or suspendible when inconvenient. For 80 years, when we have lived up to them, they have kept us all safe from unintended conflict in Europe, even during the Cold War.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine is therefore not just an unacceptable act of aggression, wrong in absolute terms and brutal and indiscriminate in the way it has been conducted. Although that is all true. It is also a dangerous repudiation of the framework of principles and commitments that keep us safe. And to allow such aggression to be rewarded is a terrible example to set. It would encourage more of the same behaviour, in this part of the world and elsewhere.
We have heard a lot about what the Russian state wants over the last few weeks. But for peace, when it comes, to be lasting, Ukraine needs to be confident that the Russian aggression cannot happen again. The UK does not like war. We do not like our friends being at war. We do not seek to prolong war. But we do support Ukraine in its aim to ensure Russia cannot attack it again and will continue to support Ukraine until it believes the peace on offer is one which guarantees its security in a sustainable way. That means they must be able to negotiate from a position of strength. This has always been the UK's position, before and during this unnecessary war. Ukraine is a sovereign country that can decide its own future without interference from other countries.
Mister Chair, as ever Russia is producing a blizzard of disinformation to distract us from the facts. The facts are that Russia invaded Ukraine without provocation, that tens of thousands of soldiers on both sides have died unnecessarily and that this could stop tomorrow if Russia made the right choices and lived up to its commitments.
Mister Chair, the UK's position is simple to understand. Aggression should not be rewarded. The principles we have all signed up should be protected. A peace should be sustainable. And Ukraine should be free to determine its own future. That is a strategic vision worth holding out for.
Thank you.
