The United Nations is not an abstract idea but a “carefully crafted agreement” based on the understanding that the horrors of war must not be repeated, said President Alar Karis of Estonia.  Yet, brutality prevails, and “we simply cannot let this go on”, he stressed.

Describing the Russian Federation’s war of aggression against Ukraine as “blatant assault” on the Charter, he said the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine has documented at least 14,000 civilian deaths, including almost 1,000 children.  In response to recent peace efforts, Moscow has intensified its terror campaign with a barrage of drone and missile strikes on civilian targets.  Days ago, “three Russian fighter planes violated Estonian airspace”, he warned, pointing to a pattern of similar incidents on the European Union’s eastern border.  “This a stark reminder that Moscow’s aggression threatens not only Ukraine but the security of the entire region.”  He called for greater international pressure on the Russian Federation to end the war and to hold it accountable for crimes committed in Ukraine.

In Gaza, he said, the international-law-based multilateral system has failed to protect Palestinians and Israelis.  Condemning Hamas’ brutal terrorist attacks on 7 October, he stated:  “Hamas cannot have any role in the future governance of Gaza and Palestine.”  However, ordinary people and children in Gaza must not be the ones to pay the price.  “What has unfolded in Gaza has crossed all red lines.”  He called for a comprehensive political process, with the goal of two States, to end the cycle of violence.

He voiced support for system-wide reform of the United Nations, noting that “this is not only an issue of monetary efficiency and financial discipline”.  Estonia supports expanding Security Council membership, limiting veto use and ensuring a transparent process to select the next UN Secretary-General.  On climate change, he cited Estonia as an example, where 40 per cent of electricity comes from renewable sources, and pressed for a tripling of global renewable energy production by 2030.  “In Estonia, we believe in innovation,” he said.  He described the Artificial Intelligence Leap — an initiative to ensure that Estonians acquire the skills to use AI wisely and responsibly.  “AI must serve dignity, development and human rights — not the other way around,” he concluded.