Joint Statement on Occasion of Seventh Anniversary of Adoption of UN General Assembly Resolution 68/262 “Territorial Integrity of Ukraine”

The following is a joint statement by the Permanent Missions of Republic of Albania, Australia, Austria, Belgium, the Republic of Bulgaria, Canada, Costa Rica, the Republic of Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, the Republic of Estonia, the Federated States of Micronesia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Latvia, the Principality of Liechtenstein, the Republic of Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Marshall Islands, the Republic of Moldova, the Principality of Monaco, Montenegro, Kingdom of the Netherlands, New Zealand, the Republic of North Macedonia, Norway, the Republic of Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, the Republic of Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, the Republic of Turkey, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the United States of America to the UN on the occasion of the seventh anniversary of adoption of UN General Assembly Resolution 68/262 “Territorial Integrity of Ukraine.”

Seven years ago, on 27 March 2014, the United Nations General Assembly, by an overwhelming majority of UN member-states, adopted resolution 68/262 “Territorial Integrity of Ukraine.” By this resolution, the international community affirmed, loud and clear, its full commitment to the sovereignty, political independence, unity and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders.

Despite the clear demands of the General Assembly, the Russian Federation has not stopped its temporary occupation of Crimea. On the contrary, it continues flagrant human rights violations and abuses, and military build-up on the peninsula.

These actions of the Russian Federation that undermine Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and its violations and abuses of the human rights of persons belonging to ethnic and religious minorities on the peninsula and all others who oppose Russia’s occupation, prompted the General Assembly to adopt resolutions 71/205, 72/190, 73/263, 74/168, 75/192 “Situation of human rights in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, Ukraine” and 73/194, 74/17, 75/29, “Problem of the militarisation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, Ukraine, as well as parts of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.” In these resolutions, the General Assembly condemned the temporary occupation of Crimea and urged the Russian Federation, as the occupying power, to uphold all its obligations under applicable international law.

Russia’s actions have been of global concern, inconsistent with international law, including the UN Charter, and are also contrary to the Helsinki Final Act, as well as international humanitarian and human rights law. Russia’s attempts to legitimise the attempted annexation of Crimea are not, and will not be recognised.

We also firmly condemn Russia’s continued destabilisation of Ukraine, especially Russia’s actions in certain areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, disregarding the commitments it made under the Minsk agreements. We reiterate our support for the efforts of the Normandy format and our firm commitment to a peaceful resolution of the conflict in eastern Ukraine, in line with the Minsk agreements and with full respect of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Russia is a party to the conflict in eastern Ukraine, not a mediator.

Yet again, we urge the Russian Federation to immediately end its occupation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, and fully implement the relevant UN General Assembly resolutions on the situation in Crimea. We welcome in principle Ukraine’s initiative to establish an International Crimean Platform to consolidate the international community’s efforts on Crimea.

Natalia Tolub