Thank you, Chair.
Norway aligns with the statement delivered by the EU, but please allow me to make a few remarks in my national capacity.
We repeatedly hear in this forum how Russia attempts to shift the responsibility for a war of aggression that it alone chose to start and that it can end any time.
The facts, however, remain unchanged. Russia launched an unprovoked, unjustified and illegal war of aggression against its neighbor. There was no and is no (as Russia continues to allege in this forum) threat from Ukraine. Nor from NATO. NATO is, and will remain, a defensive alliance.
By attacking Ukraine, a sovereign state, Russia has itself linked the security of Ukraine to the security and stability of Europe.
And yet, Russia continues its relentless attacks against Ukraine, against civilian infrastructure, against civilians, in gross violation of the principles of international law and the commitments it has undertaken in this organization.
We strongly condemn yesterday’s missile strikes by Russia against a residential building in Pryluky, killing and injuring tens of people, including many children.
This adds to the repeated attacks against bridges in and around Kyiv we have seen in recent weeks. Alongside strikes targeting fuel stations, storage facilities and other infrastructure. These attacks should not be viewed in isolation. Taken together they appear to form part of a broader Russian pattern aimed at disrupting mobility, logistics and the daily functioning of Ukrainian society. Attacks directed against civilians or civilian objects violate international humanitarian law and must stop.
Russia continues to bear full responsibility for the devastating human consequences, as well as the international economic and security consequences of this war. It is Russia that decided to embark upon an endeveavour to destabilise the European continent. It is Russia that, by seeking to shift responsibility for potential attacks onto their victims, when such responsiblilty would rest solely with those carrying them out, seeks to deter foreign diplomatic missions to continue their support for Ukraine. Russia will not succeed.
We call upon Russia to cease all attacks, withdraw its military forces from all of Ukraine, take meaningful steps towards a just and lasting peace, and genuinely engage in negotiations.
Thank you