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UNGA Third Committee

Statement on agenda item 60: UNHCR

Chair,

The delegation of Ukraine expresses its gratitude to the High Commissioner for his report.

My country is honored to join UNHCR ExCom membership and committed to playing its part in strengthening international protection and supporting UNHCR mission.  

This year also marks the 30th anniversary of the UNHCR work in Ukraine. We are grateful to the High Commissioner and its Office for all the assistance and support provided to Ukraine, particularly in these trying times of war, and look forward to our continued partnership. 

With Russia`s war of aggression against Ukraine in its third year, a large-scale humanitarian and displacement crisis it provoked has become increasingly protracted. More than 11 million Ukrainians remain displaced, including about 4.7 million within Ukraine and a further 6.7 million who have been seeking safety abroad. 

Humanitarian outlook has worsened recently with Russia`s relentless attacks on critical infrastructure. In full contempt of international humanitarian law, Russia deliberately destroyed at least half of Ukraine`s power generation, disrupting access to electricity, heating, water and sanitation for millions of people. 

We commend High Commissioner’s personal attention to humanitarian response in Ukraine, particularly his visits to my country in January and July 2024.  

With winter already settling in across Ukraine, bringing sub-zero temperatures, we welcome the preparation of the UNHCR Winter Response Plan and call upon all partners to continue supporting UNHCR life-saving assistance and protection activities in Ukraine. 

We commend the EU’s decision to extend until March 2026 the temporary protection for more than 4 million Ukrainians who fled Russia`s war. Continued hospitality and solidarity shown in the EU Member States and other hosting countries towards displaced Ukrainians is very much appreciated. 

For its part, Ukraine will continue fostering an enabling socio-economic environment for safe and voluntary return of all Ukrainians temporarily displaced abroad. We appreciate UNHCR efforts aimed to support Ukraine in this area, particularly through the launch of the “Ukraine is Home” platform and look forward to its continued active engagement.   

Ukraine acknowledges the achievements of the I Belong campaign and welcomes the launch of the Global Alliance to End Statelessness as a vital platform to accelerate global efforts in preventing and reducing statelessness.

For its part, Ukraine has recently strengthened its legislative and policy frameworks, enhancing protection for stateless persons. The establishment of a statelessness determination procedure has already identified over 1,100 stateless individuals.

However, our collective efforts to achieve a world where no one is denied nationality are being undermined by Russia's harmful policies and practices in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, which aim to erase Ukrainians as a national group.

As confirmed by the Human Rights Committee, the forced or compulsory imposition of Russian citizenship on citizens of Ukraine in the occupied Crimea constituted discrimination on the grounds of national origin. Moreover, in violation of its obligations as the Occupying Power, the Russian Federation continues pursuing its shameless campaign of imposing Russian citizenship in the occupied parts of the Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions of Ukraine. 

Residents without Russian passports have increasingly experienced pressure and discrimination in the enjoyment of their rights to employment and social security, property rights, liberty of movement and in their access to health care and public services.   

We are gravely concerned by Russia`s malicious intention to declare Ukrainians refusing to obtain Russian passports “foreigners” or stateless persons after 31 December 2024 and subject them to deportations.  

We resolutely condemn forced imposition of the Russian citizenship in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, which constitutes serious violation of international humanitarian law and international human rights law. Unlawful decisions and actions of the Russian Federation will have no legal consequences for the citizens of Ukraine living under occupation.

   

Finally, let me reiterate Ukraine`s strong support for the UNHCR`s vital work to address the protection and assistance needs of vulnerable displaced persons worldwide.  

Thank you.