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Statement

by H.E. Ambassador Dr. Andrii Melnyk, LL.M.,

Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations

at the Eighty-first Session of the United Nations General Assembly

under the agenda item 72 “Report of the International Court of Justice”

(5 November 2026)

 

Mr. President,

First of all, I wish to thank President of the ICJ Iwasawa Yuji for presenting the report, and every judge and every member of the Registry for their hard and dedicated work.

I would also like to congratulate the newly elected judges: Dapo Akande of the United Kingdom, François Alabrune of France, Mahmoud Daifallah Hmoud of Jordan, Rena Lee of Singapore and Phoebe Okowa of Kenya and them every success in their historic mission.

Mr. President,

Eighty years ago, the Court was born from the ashes of the Second World War.

Its promise was simple: when States disagree, they go to court, not to war.

Eighty years on, that promise matters more than ever.

Just look at the numbers.

Twenty-four contentious cases are pending today. That is a record.

In just one year, the Court held hearings in five cases, delivered a judgment on intervention and gave two advisory opinions.

Two more cases are now being deliberated on the merits.

Behind every one of these numbers there is a State that chose the rule of law over the law of force.

That is the best vote of confidence any court could ask for.

Mr. President,

Ukraine has made the same choice. When our sovereign rights are violated, we know exactly where to go.

We seek recourse to the Court.

Our pending cases go far beyond Ukraine.

They also constitute important milestones in advancing international law.

Let us take our case on the financing of terrorism and racial discrimination.

In January 2024, for the first time in the history of the Court, Russia was found to have acted in flagrant violation of international law.

Russia has blatantly violated its legal obligations under two instruments at once: the International Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

The Court made it clear: when a State receives credible information about the financing of terrorism, it must investigate and cooperate.

Russia failed to do so, and therefore it was held responsible.

The Court also found Russia responsible for acts of discrimination against Ukrainians in the temporarily occupied Crimea.

Mr. President,

Let me also remind another pending case regarding the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

Russia invented a “genocide” to cynically justify its barbaric war of aggression and its military invasion.

Therefore, Ukraine brought a new case before the Court to expose that lie.

Thirty-two States joined us at the preliminary stage, something the Court had never seen before.

In February 2024, the Court confirmed its jurisdiction and rejected most of Russia's objections.

We have full trust that the ICJ will restore justice.

Mr. President,

Ukraine is also seeking justice for the victims of Flight PS752, shot down over Tehran in January 2020.

All 176 passengers on board were killed, among them Ukrainian nationals, including the entire crew.

Together with Canada, Sweden and the United Kingdom, we have brought this case to the Court hoping   for justice for the victims and their families.

Iran must be held responsible.

Mr. President,

Regrettably, Russia continues to shamelessly disregards the Court's orders.

In 2017, the Court ordered Russia to lift the ban on the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people in the temporarily occupied Crimea.

Russia ignored it, and the Court found that this was a violation in itself.

In March 2022, the Court ordered Russia to stop its military operations in Ukraine.

Russia continues to spit in the face of the Court openly defying this order. And the international community is silent.

 Hundreds of missiles and drones are the only answer we hear every single day.

Mr. President,

Let me be clear: the Court's decisions are binding and must be implemented.

I therefore call upon the Security Council and the General Assembly to address this grave matter of Russia’s non-compliance with the ICJ’s order.

I thank you.