Thank you, chair.
Estonia aligns itself with the statement delivered by the European Union on behalf of the EU and its Member States.
At the onset, allow me to offer Estonia’s deepest condolences to the people of Türkiye and Syria following the devastating earthquakes. Our hearts are with all the victims and their loved ones in this terrible tragedy.
At a time when the world is faced with devastating impacts of natural catastrophes and climate crisis, the man-made crises we are witnessing should never happen.
For more than one year, we have been witnessing extreme human suffering and a massive refugee crisis right here in Europe due to the Russian Federation’s full-fledged invasion of Ukraine in blatant violation of international law. The gravely devastating consequences of this aggression – not only for Europe but globally – cannot be overstated. For instance, the food crisis this has caused, has had a negative impact of the situation of refugees around the world. Estonia condemns the war of aggression against Ukraine by the Russian Federation in the strongest terms possible.
The war of aggression against Ukraine by the Russian Federation is an unacceptable violation of the UN Charter, as recalled by several UN General Assembly resolutions. The Russian Federation does not respect the principles of international humanitarian law, as well as human rights law. It is heart-breaking and entirely unacceptable to see the heavy casualties and the loss of thousands of innocent lives, as well as attacks on hospitals, education facilities and other civilian structures, resulting from this unjustified attack. We reiterate the utmost importance of abiding by international norms and call on Russia to respect international law, in particular international humanitarian law. Full and unhindered humanitarian access must be guaranteed. Humanitarian workers should be able to do their work in security and not fear for their lives.
Mr/Mrs Chairperson,
We are particularly concerned about the reports of children from Ukraine being forcibly taken to the Russian Federation, including abductions and involuntary naturalizations or adoptions. These illegal practices must stop and children returned without delay. The Russian Federation must grant unimpeded access for UNHCR to all Ukrainian refugees, and in particular children. We would appreciate it if UNHCR could give us more information about the current situation regarding access to Ukrainian children in Russia.
Ukraine continues to face a humanitarian crisis on a massive scale. Humanitarian assistance to Ukraine needs to be sustained, coordinated, innovative and well targeted. We commend all humanitarian actors, including UNHCR and its partners, as well as local and Estonian NGOs, for all the relentless work in Ukraine in alleviating the human suffering. Estonia very much appreciates the work that humanitarian workers are doing on the ground, every day, in very difficult and dangerous circumstances. We underline the need for national leadership and close coordination between all actors, including the national and local government, the UN system and donors, as well as international and local civil society organizations, whose voices need to be fully heard. Humanitarian aid remains indispensable alongside reconstruction efforts.
Estonia´s support to Ukraine and its people will continue in all areas – be it political, economic, financial, humanitarian or security-related. Estonia remains committed to providing humanitarian assistance to the people of Ukraine through multilateral and bilateral aid, providing over 23.1 million EUR in humanitarian aid to Ukraine since February 2022, including 4.1 million EUR from the public sector. We will also respond to the needs charted in the plans for 2023. In a situation where over 15 million innocent children, women and men have been forced to flee their homes, including more than 8 million Ukrainian refugees, Estonia has kept its borders open to welcome Ukrainian refugees. Estonia continues to host, alongside the Czech Republic, the highest number of refugees from Ukraine per capita. Estonia has also supported Ukrainian refugees in other hosting countries, such as by winterization activities in Georgia and bilateral projects and donor support in Moldova. We are proud of the outpouring of support of European countries and communities to help those whose lives have been devastated by Russia’s war in Ukraine and commend Moldova, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania and all other hosting countries for their unwavering solidarity, hospitality and support to refugees.
Let me conclude by expressing again our deep appreciation for the work and dedication of UNHCR and its staff in these challenging circumstances. Sadly, no amount of aid can ever compensate for the lost lives, homes, and hopes – the destruction caused by Russia. Russia started this war. Russia can and must end it immediately by withdrawing its troops from the internationally recognized territory of Ukraine.
I thank you.