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The President at the UN General Assembly: There is no place for aggressor countries in the UN Security Council

President of the Republic of Lithuania

September 24, 2024

President Gitanas Nausėda addressed world leaders on Tuesday during the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

In his address, the President focused on the implications of Russia's war in Ukraine for global security and the failure of the international community to stop the brutal war in Europe, stressing the importance of restoring the world order based on international rules and the need to reform the UN Security Council. In his speech, the President stressed that the UN must play a more significant role in securing lasting peace in Europe.

The President pointed out that more than 10 years ago, something entirely different happened that shattered the previous international order based on international rules: a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council began military aggression against a peaceful member state, violating an increasing number of international norms.

According to the Lithuanian leader, this is a dangerous situation, the seriousness of which becomes evident through the statements made by the Russian leaders and their representatives in the United Nations Security Council.

"How many times have they openly admitted that the Kremlin intends to wipe Ukraine from the face of Earth! If any sovereign nation is under the threat of complete destruction, no country is truly safe anymore. If the international community looks away and ignores the unpleasant truth, no country is truly safe anymore. And if mass killings, deportations and deliberate attacks on civilian population become the new norm, no country is truly safe anymore," President Gitanas Nausėda spoke.

The Head of State pointed out that today Ukraine is fighting for itself and also for the future of all those countries who believe in the United Nations Charter and its principles.

"Our joint collective response to this day has been insufficient. We have not been able to stop this madness. We have not been able to force Russia to reconsider its dangerous course. We have not been able to hold it accountable for so many violations of the United Nations Charter. All because the aggressor is hiding under the cover of the Security Council's permanent membership," the President underscored.

According to Gitanas Nausėda, the duty of the international community is to support Ukraine, to restrict Russia's ability to wage war and ensure the accountability of those responsible for the crime of aggression and crimes against humanity, to reform the Security Council and to rebuild the credibility of the United Nations Charter.

The Lithuanian leader emphasized the importance of support for Ukraine. To win this war, Ukraine will need more military equipment, ammunition, medical supplies, as well as humanitarian and financial aid, Gitanas Nausėda pointed out.

The President called on Belarus, Iran, North Korea, and China to stop providing Russia with military support, including the transfer of dual-use materials, adding that more arms for Russia means more civilian deaths, more destruction and more chaos.

The Head of State urged all peace-loving countries to support Ukraine's Peace Formula, which is grounded in the universal principles of the United Nations Charter: sovereignty, territorial integrity, and international law. The President noted that in order to achieve lasting peace, more actions will have to follow— justice will have to be served, Russia will have to atone for its many crimes and pay damages, the perpetrators of the war of aggression and numerous war crimes will have to stand before the court.

According to Gitanas Nausėda, we must all join forces in pushing for a comprehensive Security Council reform. There is simply no place for Russia in the Security Council, which was created to maintain international peace and security, the President said.

"I am confident that Ukraine will soon achieve victory. Until this becomes reality, Lithuania's position remains steadfast. We will not recognize Russia's illegal annexation of any Ukrainian region, be it Crimea, Sevastopol, Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, or Zaporizhzhia. We will not stop demanding that Russia ends grave violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the occupied territories of Ukraine. Lithuania will continue providing shelter to Ukrainian war refugees. Lithuania will continue supporting Ukraine with all possible means," the Lithuanian leader spoke at the UNGA session in New York.

The President's Communication Group