Thank you, Mr. President, and thank you, Assistant Secretary-General Jenča, for your remarks.
The goal of the Minsk agreements was to end the fighting and restore Ukraine’s control over its territory within its internationally recognized borders. Russia signed these agreements but did not implement any of the commitments it agreed to – not a single one. This includes the Minsk Protocol, the Minsk Package of Measures, and interventions negotiated by the Trilateral Contact Group.
These commitments involved agreements on ceasefire, withdrawal of “foreign military forces” from Ukraine’s sovereign territory, disbanding illegal armed groups in eastern Ukraine supported by Russia, and returning control of the Ukrainian side of the international border to Ukraine. Russia did none of these things.
Instead, Russia consistently worked to undermine the fundamental purpose of the Minsk agreements, escalated fighting, and undermined international monitoring efforts.
As our Secretary of Defense stated last week at the Ukraine Defense Contact Group: "We want a sovereign and prosperous Ukraine." However, he added that returning to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders is an unrealistic objective. "Chasing this illusionary goal will only prolong the war and cause more suffering."
A durable peace for Ukraine must include robust security guarantees to ensure that war will not begin again. "This must not be Minsk 3.0," he emphasized.
Russia's statements about the Minsk agreements are seen as distractions from undeniable facts: "Ukraine is a sovereign independent country," and Russia's actions violate international law as well as strategic interests. The United States calls for immediate negotiations to end hostilities: "If Russia instead chooses the hard way," there will be escalating costs economically and militarily.
President Trump has made clear that ending violence in Europe is a priority for his administration: "The United States...is committed to ending carnage." Involvement from all parties including UN Member States is encouraged in seeking resolution.
With that said, thank you once again Mr. President.