Betsa at UN Security Council: We will never agree to territorial concessions

Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Mariana Betsa has said that Ukraine will never agree to territorial concessions to Russia.

She made the remarks during a meeting of the UN Security Council on Tuesday, according to Ukrinform's correspondent in New York.

"The Russian regime and its accomplices will not stop on their own. Russia feels impunity because it has not yet faced proper consequences for its crimes," she said.

According to Betsa, despite peace efforts by the United States and European partners, Moscow continues to use the negotiation process as cover for its war.

"The Kremlin insists that Ukraine leave its sovereign territory so that Russia can occupy it. […] Sovereignty and territorial integrity of a state are fundamental principles of the UN Charter," she said.

She called on the international community to mobilize resources to stop the aggressor, strengthen sanctions, provide Ukraine with additional defense capabilities and security guarantees, and ensure Russia's accountability for the damage caused.

"We will never recognize the occupation. We will never agree to territorial concessions. We will never give up our freedom," Betsa said.

She noted that Ukraine's goal is "a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace based on the UN Charter and international law." At the same time, "every state must be confident that its sovereignty is respected, its people are safe, and aggression is punished," she added.

The United Nations Security Council met on Tuesday to discuss the consequences of four years of Russia's war against Ukraine.