UN General Assembly: Use of the Veto - Item 63
Remarks delivered by Chargé d’Affaires a. i. to the UN, H.E. Ambassador Rebecca Bryant, Australian Mission to the United Nations
6 March 2025
Thank you, President, for convening this meeting.
I deliver this statement on behalf of Canada, New Zealand and my own country, Australia.
We are here today to discuss Russia’s use of the veto pursuant to the Veto Initiative, which is a vital mechanism for promoting greater transparency and accountability of the UN Security Council.
The United States’ resolution ‘The Path to Peace’ is the only resolution on Ukraine adopted by the Security Council since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
It was adopted despite Russia’s veto of amendments referring to key elements of the UN Charter, namely sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity as well as the need for a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in Ukraine.
President,
On the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the General Assembly reaffirmed its respect for the UN Charter, and for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
In addition to causing terrible loss of life and damage in Ukraine, Russia's war is compounding human suffering and the crisis in food and energy security globally.
Russia’s aggression has serious implications for security in both the Euro-Atlantic and the Indo-Pacific, as demonstrated by the deeply concerning military cooperation between Russia and the DPRK, including troop deployments to Russia for combat against Ukraine.
The DPRK’s export of ballistic missiles, artillery shells, and other military materiel to Russia for use against Ukraine,and Russia’s training of DPRK troops involving arms or related materiel represent flagrant violations of UN Security Council resolutions.
President,
Last Monday, while other members expressed their unwavering commitment to the core Charter principles of sovereign equality and territorial integrity of States, Russia vetoed it.
What principle of international law did it call upon States to follow instead?
None. Instead, it asked Member States to recognise a new reality it had imposed on the ground by force.
The message from this permanent member of the Security Council to any leader with a vulnerable border is clear.
CANZ countries reject Russia’s message; we believe that all countries are better off in a world where international rules are clear, mutually agreed and consistently followed.
We condemn Russia's illegal and immoral invasion of Ukraine and fully support all meaningful progress towards a comprehensive, just and lasting peace which preserves Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, supports security and stability in Europe, and ensures Russia does not renew its aggression.
I, thank you.