NEW YORK, AUGUST 24 – On the Day celebrating the 32nd anniversary of the independence of Ukraine, Italy condemned Russia’s “unjustified” withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Initiative, jeopardizing systemic food security, as the recent Food Systems Summit in Rome warned last July.
Italy is committed to the reconstruction of Ukraine by hosting the Ukraine Recovery Conference in 2025: “We will lay the foundations for a prosperous independent Ukraine within our common European family”, the Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Gianluca Greco, said today during a Security Council meeting on the political and humanitarian situation after the Russian invasion.
“Today, the celebration of the Ukrainian Independence Day marks eighteen months since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale, unprovoked, unjustifiable, and illegal invasion of Ukraine. And today we stand together with the Ukrainian people, more united than ever, to reaffirm our unwavering commitment to our shared values based on the rules-based multilateral order as recognized in the UN Charter”, said Greco.
The Council listened to a briefing by Rosemary DiCarlo, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs. She highlighted “unimaginable” human suffering due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as the war hit its somber 18-month mark. “Recognizing the growing calls around the world for an end to the war, I reiterate the UN’s commitment to support all meaningful efforts to achieve a just and sustainable peace in Ukraine, in line with the UN Charter, international law and relevant General Assembly resolutions,” she added.
Since the outbreak of hostilities on 24 February 2022, the conflict has had devastating consequences for civilians. The UN human rights office, OHCHR, has confirmed at least 9,444 civilian deaths, including 545 children, and about 17,000 injuries, among them 1,156 children. However, some estimates put the total number of fatalities – civilians and military, on both sides – at half a million. Other briefers put the spotlight on the plight of Ukrainian children, some forcely deported from from Russian-occupied areas to Russia for adoption or transfered to Russian-controlled camps for “reeducation” and sometimes military training.
Italy – said Greco – fully supports the humanitarian actors who are working tirelessly to ensure that children in Ukraine are protected and that vital assistance is within their reach. Rapid, safe and unhindered access to humanitarian assistance for those in need in Ukraine must be guaranteed. As current Chair of the Mine Action Support Group, Italy is particularly proud of the broad engagement collected in Kiev together with the UN to support the swift demining of the territory in order to prevent further humanitarian impact especially on children and to sustain Ukrainian agriculture.
With a view to a viable post-war peace settlement, Italy strongly supports President Zelensky’s Peace Plan and welcomes the recent broad commitment displayed in Jedda’s meeting of National Security Advisors from all the regional constituencies. Italy remains ready to support arrangements on sustained security and other commitments to help Ukraine defend itself, secure its free and democratic future, and deter future Russian aggression in line with its rights enshrined in the UN Charter. (@OnuItalia)
