Ukraine Considers the Protection of Civilians the Most Important Task of United Nations Peacekeeping
This was asserted by the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Sergiy Kyslytsya on June 10th during the ministerial meeting of the UN Security Council on the protection of civilians in the context of peacekeeping operations.
During his speech, the Deputy Minister stressed that Ukraine, as an active troops contributing country, as well as a country with an ongoing foreign-state-incited armed conflict “considers the protection of civilians as the most important task of UN peacekeeping.”
Mr. Kyslytsya noted that as of today, civilians continue to constitute most of the causalities of armed conflicts around in the world. According to the UN, from the year 2014, Ukraine suffered a loss of almost two thousand people of civilian nature.
The Deputy Minister emphasized that the UN must play a more active role in the prevention, renewal and continuation of armed conflicts. According to him, due to the destructive position of Russia, the UN Security Council cannot begin to consider Ukraine’s appeal on the deployment of UN peacekeeping operations.
“Given that Russia blocks any steps the UN takes in this direction, Ukraine is compelled to use other possibilities at the regional level to establish an international armed presence in the occupied territories in order to protect civilians and to ensure full implementation of the Minsk Agreements”, stated Mr. Kyslytsya. He also informed the UNSC of the need of United Nations’ assistance in the implementation of OSCE peacekeeping activities.
The Deputy Minister also emphasized that victims deserve for their criminals to be brought back to justice. He also added that, the achievement of peace between the warring parties does not imply impunity for those who commit crimes against civilian populations.