Ministry Statements & Speeches:
New Zealand did not intend to take the floor today, believing our co-sponsorship spoke for itself. However, on hearing the statement of some others, we felt compelled to speak.
Let me be clear. New Zealand co-sponsored and voted yes in support of today’s resolution of our own free will. We felt no pressure.
We felt no pressure because the facts of the situation are clear:
Russia invaded Ukraine.
Russia violated the central tenets of UN Charter.
Innocent lives are being lost as we speak.
The humanitarian consequences are already unimaginable.
This war was entirely preventable and the direct result of Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified actions.
Now it’s time for Russia to exercise its free will. Use your free will to:
Cease military operations and permanently withdraw from Ukraine;
Act consistently with international obligations;
Take all possible steps to protect civilians in line with international and humanitarian law;
Return to diplomatic negotiations as a pathway to resolve this conflict;
Respect the views of the 141 Member States who voted, today, in solidarity with Ukraine and the UN Charter.
And to our UN colleagues, we say let’s ensure the adoption of this resolution is not the end of the General Assembly’s active engagement in this conflict.
We must continue to work to stop the senseless violence and loss of life and put the weight of the international community behind the humanitarian response in Ukraine and its neighbourhood.
Finally, New Zealand would like to acknowledge that sadly this is not the only conflict or humanitarian crisis facing the world today. We hope that today’s resolution becomes a galvanising moment, not only across the breadth of global conflicts but a galvanising moment where we as Member States re-commit to multilateralism and the international rules-based order as the primary means to resolve all our differences.
Thank you.