Ukraine’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Sergiy Kyslytsya, declared at the UN Security Council meeting on January 16 that peace must be achieved through strength and adherence to international law, rather than through compromises that embolden aggressors. He highlighted the importance of implementing Ukraine’s “Peace Formula” as the pathway to a just and lasting resolution.
Kyslytsya began by reaffirming Ukraine’s desire for peace, emphasizing that no country understands the cost of war better than Ukraine. However, he rejected the notion of “peace at any price,” stating that such an approach would fail to bring genuine stability and only encourage further violations of international law, particularly by Russia.
The diplomat pointed out that Russia’s ambitions extend beyond Ukraine, recalling Moscow’s pre-invasion demands that NATO revert to its 1997 borders. This demand, he noted, is a threat to the sovereignty of countries that joined NATO after that year, including nations in Eastern Europe.
Kyslytsya urged the international community to unite in opposing Russia’s imperialist policies to ensure global security. He advocated for the principle of “peace through strength” as the only effective way to counter aggression and secure peace aligned with the UN Charter.
The Ukrainian envoy stressed that the implementation of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s “Peace Formula” is central to achieving this goal. This formula prioritizes the restoration of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and rejects any equivalence between the aggressor and the victim. Kyslytsya also expressed openness to peaceful proposals from other states, provided they respect Ukraine’s sovereignty and the principle of “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine.”
| Key Points from Kyslytsya’s Address | Details |
|---|---|
| Ukraine’s Peace Stance | Peace must be achieved through strength, not at any cost. |
| Russian Geopolitical Ambitions | Extend beyond Ukraine, threatening NATO’s post-1997 members. |
| Peace Formula Priorities | Restore territorial integrity, reject victim-aggressor equivalence. |
| International Responsibility | Collective effort needed to counter Russia’s aggression. |
Kyslytsya concluded by reinforcing that Ukraine remains ready to engage diplomatically, provided such efforts align with the principles of sovereignty, justice, and the UN Charter.
