UN Secretary-General: Russia’s Recognition of Pseudo-Republics in Eastern Ukraine Violates Ukraine’s Sovereignty and Kills Minsk Agreements

The United Nations fully supports the sovereignty, political independence, and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders. Russia’s recognition of two pseudo-republics in eastern Ukraine violates Ukraine’s sovereignty and destroys the Minsk agreements on the settlement of the conflict in Donbas.

“Let me be clear: The decision of the Russian Federation to recognise the so-called ‘independence’ of certain areas of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions is a violation of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. Such a unilateral measure not only conflicts directly with the principles of the UN Charter but is also inconsistent with the so-called Friendly Relations Declaration of the General Assembly, which the International Court of Justice has repeatedly cited as representing international law,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres said.

He described Russia’s move as “a death blow” to the Security Council-endorsed Minsk Agreements.

“The principles of the UN Charter are not an a la carte menu. They cannot be applied selectively. Member States have accepted them all and they must apply them all,” Guterres noted.

He also expressed concern over the perversion of the concept of peacekeeping.

“I am proud of the achievements of UN Peacekeeping operations in which so many blue helmets have sacrificed their lives to protect civilians. But when troops of one country enter another’s territory without its consent, they are not impartial peacekeepers. They are not peacekeepers at all,” the top UN official underscored.

At the same time, answering questions from journalists, he rejected Russia’s propaganda accusations of “genocide” brought against Ukraine.

Bohdan Marusyak