EDGARS RINKĒVIČS, President of Latvia, said that the Russian Federation’s brutal invasion of its neighbour Ukraine runs counter to the United Nations fundamental principles to refrain from the use of force against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States.  He stressed that blatant breach of these principles undermines the entire international system, especially if the aggressor is a nuclear-weapon State and a permanent member of the Security Council. “In 2008 and in 2014, the international community made a grave mistake by not responding to Russia’s aggression against Georgia and to the illegal annexation of Crimea.  It sent a wrong signal to Russia, allowing its aggressive imperial ambitions to advance,” he emphasized.  Underlining that the outcome of this war will dictate global security for years to come, he condemned the ongoing aggression against Ukraine, enabled by the regime of Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko.  In response to those who call for a ceasefire and peaceful dialogue, he said that only Kyiv can decide when to start negotiations about peace, as sustainable peace must be based on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.  He also urged the international community to continue to support Ukraine and its people, while assistance to Ukraine has already exceeded 1.3 per cent of Latvia’s GDP.

He reminded that innocent civilians, including children, have been killed, and over 11 million people have been forced to leave their homes or flee Ukraine, and called on the United Nations to take a more active stand.  “We must ensure complete accountability for all crimes committed in Ukraine.  It means the responsibility of Russia as a State for violations of international law.  And it means individual liability for the most serious international crimes,” he said, commending the steps taken by the International Criminal Court to investigate atrocity crimes in Ukraine.  At the same time, as that Court or any other existing mechanism cannot exercise jurisdiction over the crime of aggression against Ukraine, every effort must be made to hold Russian Federation leadership and military personnel accountable, he stressed, reiterating the need to establish a special international tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine under the auspices of the UN.

He underscored that by blocking Ukraine’s exports and destroying its agricultural sector, Moscow has disrupted grain deliveries worldwide but claims to care about global food security.  “There is no doubt that Russia is directly responsible for the suffering of the people worldwide,” he said, condemning its single-sided termination of the Black Sea Initiative.  As Latvia cooperates with the World Food Programme (WFP) to improve food security worldwide, he urged the United Nations to resolve the removal of the remaining Russian-owned fertilizers from the territory of Latvia and deliver them to the countries in need as soon as possible.  He also announced that Riga’s development cooperation policy is becoming more global.  With support already provided to Ukraine and countries of the European Eastern Partnership and Central Asia, Latvia now extends cooperation projects to countries in Africa and recognizes the climate-induced challenges that small island developing States face, he said.

While the United Nations is not a perfect institution, it is the only truly global organization, uniting all sovereign States, and is especially important for smaller countries like Latvia.  “The inability of the Security Council caused by the abuse of the veto is a serious concern.  That is why Latvia supports efforts to make the Security Council more transparent and accountable for its inaction,” he stressed, adding that veto power was not created as a privilege but as a responsibility.  Calling for a more equitable representation of the regions on the Council, including African and small island countries, he said that determination to protect the fundamental values of the Charter of the United Nations guides Latvia’s candidacy for the Security Council elections in 2025.