Speech by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the meeting of the UN Security Council convened at the initiative of Ukraine

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen!

Dear members of the UN Security Council who respect and adhere to the UN Charter!

Dear representatives of states and leaders who are listening to me now!

The UN Security Council is an institution that functions according to well-known and defined rules - according to the regulations, which are still observed even by the representatives of Russia.

So far they do not use weapons instead of words in this hall and do not knock their neighbors' seats out. But surely no one will be surprised if this hall of the UN Security Council is also turned into a zone of violence by representatives of Russia.

Russia already despises the UN Charter. Russia already breaks any rules of this world. So it's only a matter of time before it destroys this last international institution that can still act. It can!

I urge you to act now. Anyone in the world can now name hundreds of examples of how Russia violates the international legal order and destroys the body of international law. It constantly provokes escalation and constantly responds to any proposals for talks with new brutality on the battlefield, even greater crises and threats to Ukraine and the world. And these are obvious things.

I will name only five, just what is happening right now.

First, Russia ignored the IAEA's call for the immediate de-occupation of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and the cessation of any hostilities against any nuclear facilities of Ukraine. This fact once again proves that Russia is deliberately keeping the world on the verge of a radiation disaster.

The second is nuclear blackmail. Threats to use nuclear weapons have become a constant narrative of Russian officials and propagandists. This proves that Russia has no right to possess nuclear weapons, as it is not capable, simply not capable of guaranteeing the safety of the world even against the threat of using nuclear weapons.

Third, last week I presented the Ukrainian peace formula at the UN General Assembly. Russia's response to this real path to peace was the announcement of mobilization.

Moreover, Russia deliberately focuses its mobilization on the indigenous peoples of the territories it controls. And these are not only the territories of the Caucasus or Siberia, where everything is being done to mobilize as many men as possible from indigenous peoples. This is also Crimea, Ukrainian Crimea, which Russia seized in 2014.

Among all the ethnic groups of Crimea, it was the men of the indigenous people - the Crimean Tatars - who received the most Russian mobilization letters in proportion to the total number.

This is an outright policy of genocide!

Fourth, before the eyes of the whole world, Russia is conducting an outright farce called a "referendum" on the occupied territory of Ukraine. Under the guns people are forced to fill out some papers - for a TV picture. The figures of the alleged results of the sham referendum were drawn in advance. Just as the compulsory issuance of passports to the population of the occupied territories was held in advance. And what is it for? The answer is in the next point.

The fifth is the annexation of seized territories. The most brutal violation of the UN Charter. This is an attempt to steal the territory of another state. This is an attempt to erase the norms of international law. And this is a very cynical attempt to forcibly mobilize men in the occupied territory of Ukraine into the Russian army in order to send them to fight against their own homeland!

There is only one way to stop all this.

First – complete isolation of Russia in response to everything it does.

A state that is implementing a policy of genocide right now, keeping the world one step away from a radiation disaster, and at the same time threatening nuclear strikes cannot remain a permanent member of the UN Security Council with veto power.

Russia must be excluded from all international organizations. If such exclusion is complicated by the procedure, its participation must be suspended.

Second – new and tough global sanctions against Russia are needed. Any annexation in the modern world is simultaneously a crime against all states that consider the inviolability of borders vital for themselves.

Third – any Russian criminal actions do not change anything for us. We do not give in to the blackmail of terrorists. It is in Ukraine and in this war that not only our independence is being defended, not only the right to life for our people, but also international law as such.

Ukraine must receive all the necessary defense and financial aid so that the aggressor loses.

Fourth – Ukraine must receive clear and legally binding guarantees of collective security. Since it is the independence of our country that is of such fundamental importance for many elements of global security, the world needs a corresponding security architecture.

And fifth – very important. I want everyone to understand this.

Russia's recognition of these sham referenda as allegedly normal, implementation of the so-called “Crimean scenario” and another attempt to annex the territory of Ukraine will mean that there is nothing to talk about with this President of Russia. Annexation is the kind of move that pits him alone against the whole of humanity.

Such a clear signal is now needed from every country in the world.

I believe in your ability to act!

I am very grateful to the French Presidency for the opportunity to participate in this meeting.

Thank you all for your attention!

Glory to Ukraine!