Ukraine insists at UN on ceasefire as basis for peace talks, Betsa says
Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Mariana Betsa, who represented Ukraine at the UN General Assembly and Security Council on February 24, emphasized the priority of a ceasefire in the war with Russia and the importance of preserving the provisions in international documents on the territorial integrity of the country.
She made this statement to a Ukrinform correspondent in New York, commenting on the adoption of the General Assembly resolution “Supporting lasting peace in Ukraine” and the Security Council meeting timed to coincide with the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine.
“Every year, we try to pass a resolution in support of Ukraine for comprehensive peace. This year, we focused on what is really urgent and fundamental - a ceasefire as a basis for further negotiations,” Betsa said. She stressed that Ukraine is always ready for peace talks and constructive participation, including certain compromises, but will not agree to any concessions regarding sovereignty and territorial integrity.
According to Betsa, the UN General Assembly resolution, drafted in just six days, received 107 votes in favor, exceeding the results of previous years, when support reached “90 votes plus.” She stressed that this was a major victory for Ukrainian diplomacy in the context of new geopolitical realities. The resolution calls for a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia, condemns Russian attacks on civilians and critical infrastructure, and demands the release of all Ukrainian citizens illegally detained by Russia.
Betsa explained that Ukraine was able to prepare the resolution in a short time thanks to active diplomatic work with partners from the EU, the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and countries of the Global South. “We held consultations practically until the last moment to ensure maximum support and find the right wording on the ceasefire, territorial integrity, and the release of our people,” she said.
Betsa also stressed the importance of sending a clear signal from the UN General Assembly on the fourth anniversary of Russian aggression. “This is the first time in recent history that we have received a clear signal from the General Assembly on the need for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. This is fundamentally important for us,” the official emphasized.
Betsa also spoke about the US delegation's attempt to remove provisions on territorial integrity and a just peace from the text of the resolution so that, in the opinion of American diplomats, it would not interfere with the peace process.
“These are ‘red lines’ for Ukraine. The General Assembly rejected the US proposals because they did not find support among UN members,” the deputy foreign minister stressed. The United States abstained during the vote on the resolution.
Betsa also stressed the importance of the UN Security Council meeting that day with the participation of senior officials. “It was extremely important to hold this meeting at a high level. Russia was isolated, and the speech by its representative Nebenzia was a lie on an industrial scale. His claim that Ukraine and Russia are one people is cynical and unacceptable,” she stressed.
Betsa added: “We had little in common in the past, we have little in common now, and we will have nothing in common in the future... Ukraine has nothing in common with dictatorships that wage aggressive wars and commit war crimes.”
According to her, she also “could not help but react when the Russian representative began to say that he was Ukrainian in general — it was very cynical.”
The deputy minister stressed that Ukraine is defending its national interests and continues to insist on strengthening sanctions against Russia, on defense assistance to Ukraine, and on mechanisms of accountability for crimes of aggression and war crimes.
As reported by Ukrinform, on Tuesday, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution “Supporting lasting peace in Ukraine,” which called for an immediate ceasefire and reaffirmed the need to respect Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
At the same time, the General Assembly rejected the US proposal to remove from the draft resolution the paragraphs on territorial integrity and the need to achieve a just peace.
At a UN Security Council meeting on Tuesday, Betsa responded to statements by Russia's Permanent Representative to the UN, Vasily Nebenzia, that he was allegedly Ukrainian and that Ukrainians and Russians were one people.
Photo: video screenshot