Statement by Mr. KITADA Tetsuo, Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations, at the Arria-Formula Meeting “Crimes of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the Nationalist Battalions”

 

Mr. Chair,

The concept note for this event invites us to discuss ways to achieve sustainable and long-term peace. We welcome this discussion. Our position can be summed up in a few words: the aggressor must leave Ukraine. This war of aggression ends when the aggressor stops it. The solution is straightforward, and there is no need for further arguments. If the aggression stops, meetings like this would be unnecessary.  I am sure that our Russian colleagues are well aware of this.

Today's meeting is yet another example of Russian hypocrisy and a waste of UN resources. It is also another attempt by Russia to divert attention from what it is doing in Ukraine. Neither the members of the Security Council nor the wider UN membership should be subject to such distractions.

To the permanent member of the Security Council in violation of the UN Charter, and Member States which support it, I urge you to reflect on your own actions. The UN Charter is the very cornerstone of the international order that the global community has tirelessly worked to uphold.

Russia, bearing the primary responsibility for global peace and stability at the Council, violates even the Security Council resolutions which Russia itself supported. The repeated calls by the UN General Assembly clearly show that the aggressor's attempts to justify its actions never prevail.

All Member States, including Russia, must agree that there can be no impunity for war crimes and other atrocities. Justice demands that those responsible for these undeniable crimes be held accountable.

The aggressor will not gain from its actions. Alongside Ukraine and the international community, we continue to strongly demand Russia to immediately return to compliance with the UN Charter.

I thank you.