Statement 

by the Delegation of Ukraine 

at the informal meeting on the intergovernmental negotiations 

on the question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership 

of the Security Council and other matters related to the Security Council

(15-16 June 2026)

 

Distinguished Co-Chairs,

Ukraine expresses its appreciation to Kuwait and the Kingdom of the Netherlands for their efforts in advancing these crucial negotiations.

The Security Council reform remains a matter of exceptional importance and a cornerstone of a  wider United Nations reform. 

It is also a test of our collective resolve to uphold the principles of the UN Charter in the face of growing threats to international peace and security.

The adoption of the Pact for the Future highlights the necessity of making the Council more representative, more inclusive, more transparent, mire efficient, more democratic, and more accountable.

Ukraine reiterates its principled position on several key elements of Security Council reform.

First, the relationship between the Security Council and the General Assembly should be mutually reinforcing and complementary.

In this regard, Ukraine welcomes the adoption of General Assembly resolution on the “veto initiative”.

Second, transforming the Security Council into a more representative body must go hand in hand with improving its effectiveness, especially in decision-making on peace and security. 

The Council must better reflect contemporary geopolitical realities and the diversity of the United Nations membership.

Third, Ukraine attaches great importance to the expansion of the membership of the Security Council in both categories. 

Enlargement is essential to enhance the legitimacy and credibility of the Council and to ensure broader participation in its work.

Fourth, the question of the veto remains central to meaningful reform. Ukraine has consistently advocated for limiting its use and especially its abuse.

This issue has become particularly urgent in light of the Russian Federation’s ongoing aggression against Ukraine. 

We firmly believe that the use of the veto should be restricted in situations involving genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, as well as in cases where a permanent member is a party to a conflict and therefore unable to act impartially.

Fifth, Ukraine reiterates its strong support for addressing the current geographical imbalance within the Security Council. This requires increased representation of developing countries, particularly from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean. 

At the same time, any expansion of non-permanent membership must include enhanced representation of the Group of Eastern European States, which remains underrepresented.

Finally, Ukraine stresses a fundamental point: discussions on Security Council reform risk losing credibility if they do not address  one crucial issue.

A state that commits aggression, violates the Charter, and perpetrates war crimes on a systematic basis shall automatically lose its membership of the Security Council.

During the massive missile and drone attack on Kyiv this night, the Russian Federation damaged the Dormition Cathedral, one if the holiest shrines not just for the Ukrainian Orthodoxy, but the whole Christendom. 

Let me remind you that this church had been erected in the eleventh century. 

It was completely destroyed by the Soviet Russia in 1941 during the Second War War and rebuilt by Ukraine after we restored our independence.

And now it was Russia again that launched this blatant attack on the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

For Ukrainians, this strike is of a magnitude comparable to Russia striking St. Peter’s Basilica in  Vatican, Notre-Dame de Paris, or St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York.

The continued presence of the Russian Federation in the Security  Council undermines the legitimacy of this body. 

Like Cato the Elder in ancient Rome, who repeatedly concluded his speeches in the Senate with the warning that Carthage must be destroyed, I will not tire to remind the UN member states, again and again, that the Russian Federation must be deprived of its illegitimate seat as permanent member of the Security Council.

I thank you.