Joint Statement delivered by Ambassador Nicola Clase on behalf of the Nordic States to the UN Security Council on 24 February, the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
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President, Colleagues
I have the honour to speak on behalf of the five Nordic States: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway – and my own country, Sweden.
For four long and devastating years, the people of Ukraine have rightfully defended their country against Russia’s full-scale invasion. Their resilience continues to command our outmost respect.
Russia’s aggression against Ukraine was unprovoked and unjustified. Its objective was, and remains, the subjugation of an independent Member State. What the Kremlin envisioned as a three-day so-called “special military operation”, has instead become the largest military conflict on European soil in generations, with consequences felt far away beyond Europe.
President,
This war of aggression — carried out by a permanent member of this Council — constitutes a flagrant violation of international law and the UN Charter. It goes against the fundamentals of this organisation, and in particular this Council, which has been mandated to uphold international peace and security.
The General Assembly has repeatedly — [again this morning] — called for a sustainable and just peace in Ukraine, grounded firmly in international law, including the UN Charter.
Respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity is not an abstraction; it is the foundation for our global system of collective security.
President,
Important progress is being made on accountability, including the work underway to establish a special Tribunal for the crime of aggression and an International Claims Commission. We will ensure that aggressors are held responsible and that Russia will pay compensation for the damage caused by its war.
Russia’s aggression cannot be rewarded. It would create a dangerous precedent. It is in our common interest as UN Member States to ensure respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political independence of all states – both large and small.
Let one truth be abundantly clear: no one wants peace more than the Ukrainians. They are the ones who have paid an unbearable price. It is their civilian infrastructure that has been destroyed. It is they who have suffered torture, rape, and summary executions. They have seen their children forcibly taken away in a systematic, state directed Russian campaign documented by UN agencies.
While Ukraine continues to call for an immediate ceasefire and a peace consistent with international law, Russia continues its systematic attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, aimed at spreading fear and weakening the resilience of Ukraine’s civilians. Russia has created one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, and through its actions it continues to show no genuine interest in peace.
President,
The Nordic States will remain unwavering in our support for Ukraine. We support a just and sustainable peace — a peace rooted in international law and the UN Charter.
Thank you.
