Statement by the Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the UN, H.E. Ambassador Dr. Andrii Melnyk, LL.M., at the Open Debate of the UN Security Council on “The promotion and strengthening of the rule of law in the maintenance of international peace and security: Reaffirming international rule of law: Pathways to reinvigorating peace, justice and multilateralism”

(26 January 2026)

Mr. President,

Distinguished Members of the Security Council,

In just a few weeks, the world will mark four years since the start of Russia’s unprovoked and treacherous full scale military invasion against Ukraine that has brought immense suffering to the Ukrainian people.

In recent months, intensive diplomatic efforts, initiated by the United States and supported by our European allies and like-minded countries, have been underway to stop this barbaric war and to achieve a peace that would be lasting and just.

One of the central questions before us today is accountability.

We often hear the argument that, in order to reach a stable peace, justice should be set aside or at least not overemphasized. 

Some claim that holding perpetrators accountable might complicate negotiations and endanger peace.

But is this really true?

History gives us a clear answer. Justice and accountability are not obstacles to peace. They are its foundation.

After the Second World War, the Nuremberg Tribunal established a basic principle of international law: those who commit the gravest crimes are individually accountable, regardless of rank or position. 

Decades later, the international tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda demonstrated that justice contributes to sustainable peace by breaking cycles of violence and enabling reconciliation. 

In these cases, tribunals did not obstruct peace. They made peace possible.

The same principle must apply to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

This invasion has brought systematic atrocities against civilians in occupied territories: mass killings such as those uncovered in Bucha, forced deportations, torture, and sexual violence. 

These crimes were not isolated incidents. They were part of a broader, deliberate pattern and clearly constitute crimes against humanity.

Today, we witness yet another form of Russia’s criminal conduct: the deliberate destruction of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, plunging entire cities into darkness and cold and leaving millions of civilians without heating, electricity, and water. 

There are just a few instances in the history of humankind when suffering on such a magnitude has been inflicted so intentionally on a civilian population.

Can we simply look away from crimes of this magnitude and move on at the negotiation table? 

Can sustainable peace be built on deliberate indifference to such violations?

Ukraine’s position is clear:

All those responsible for the crime of aggression, for crimes against humanity, and for war crimes must be held accountable. 

There can be no selective justice and no immunity.

Important steps have already been taken. 

The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants. 

Last June, an international convention was signed in Strasbourg that establishes a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine, a milestone in restoring justice for this gravest crime under international law.

The rule of law is the foundation of peace. A peace built without justice is fragile and temporary. A peace built on accountability has a chance to endure.

And my last point. Mr. President,

We have just heard the Russian delegate accuse Ukraine of violating its international obligations regarding military alliances.

First of all, it is a lie. And second: there can be no justification for a war of aggression. 

Thank you.