More than 50 countries reaffirm UN Charter, condemn Russia’s war in joint statement

A Delegation Representative (Representative), reading on behalf of Ukraine, Albania, Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, the Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, the Republic of Moldova, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the European Union, reaffirmed commitment to the United Nations Charter and condemned Russia’s actions in Ukraine.

"Today, 80 years since the UN Charter entered into force, we reaffirm our commitment to the UN Charter and fundamental rules and principles of international law," the Delegation Representative said. "Yet today, those rules and principles are being flagrantly violated. The international community stands at a critical juncture."

The statement said Russia’s campaign in Ukraine represents "a brutal and unprovoked war of aggression," asserting that Russian forces are striking civilian infrastructure and schools and that recent attacks included the destruction of a kindergarten in Kharkiv two days earlier. The speaker said "48 children survived only because they were in a shelter during the attack" and recounted a separate incident in which a drone killed "a young mother, her 6 months old baby, and 12 year old niece in their home in Kyiv region."

The statement alleged that Russia "seeks to portray itself as a champion of multilateralism" even as it "persistently violates the fundamental rules and principles of the UN Charter and fails to honor its international obligations," and accused Russia of "waging colonial war, seizing land and abducting people." It added that "abductions, torture and other violence remain tools of terror and control."

The Delegation Representative reiterated support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity "within its internationally recognized borders, including Crimea, Donetsk, and Kherson," and demanded that the Russian Federation "cease its bombardments and occupation, and withdraw fully immediately and unconditionally all its troops and military equipment from the territory of Ukraine." The speaker warned that "every day of delay means more lives destroyed, more children stolen and more crimes committed. We will not normalize aggression."

The statement closed with a call for a negotiated settlement: "Together, we will continue to work toward a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace, grounded in the principles of the UN Charter, enforced by accountability, and protected by credible and durable guarantees."