Thank you, Mister President. I also thank Assistant Secretary-General Khiari and Director Doughten for their briefings.
The United States condemns in the strongest terms the Russian aerial assaults on cities and critical infrastructure across Ukraine. On March 6, Russia’s strikes against the port city of Odesa were another stark reminder of how Russia is unleashing daily, destructive attacks against Ukraine’s people and infrastructure.
Unfortunately, attacks against Odesa are not new. Last weekend, reports indicated that Russian strikes hit a high-rise residential building, leaving 12 dead and 20 injured. Among those killed were five children, one of whom was only 7-months old. Reports indicate that at least five civilians were killed on March 6.
"We mourn this tragic loss of life. Every civilian death in conflict – no matter where in the world it occurs – is a tragedy."
This time, when the air raid sirens sounded, the President of Ukraine and the Prime Minister of Greece were viewing the profound devastation in Odesa as a result of months of sustained bombardment. Russia’s strike hit a few hundred meters from their convoy.
"Russia’s attempts to justify the unjustifiable today do not change simple facts."
That Russia continues to conduct a war of aggression against another sovereign UN Member State in violation of the Charter. That Ukraine would not need to call for urgent meetings of this Council if Russia would cease its aggression. That Ukrainian civilians are suffering daily death and destruction as a result of the Kremlin’s attempts to conquer and subjugate their country.
"We must not forget that after Russia suspended its participation in the Black Sea Grain Initiative, depriving some of the world’s most food insecure countries of Ukraine’s grain, the Kremlin did not stop there."
It launched more attacks on Odesa’s ports, infrastructure and grain storage. These attacks were part of a campaign to decimate Ukraine’s economy after failing to defeat its military. In those strikes, Russia destroyed more than 300,000 tons of grain and vital storage facilities.
Ukraine responded with resiliency and creativity by launching a humanitarian corridor that brought Ukraine’s exports back to numbers not seen since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Russia is also attacking energy infrastructure. Earlier this week, arrest warrants were issued by the International Criminal Court for Sergei Kobylash and Viktor Sokolov for alleged war crimes related to these attacks.
"At every turn, the Kremlin chooses the path of war and escalation."
The United States will continue to stand with Ukraine and call for accountability. The path forward is clear: "Russia must cease its attacks against Ukraine and immediately and fully withdraw from all territory within Ukraine’s internationally recognized borders."
Thank you, Mister President.