25 July 2025
Thank you very much Mr. President.
I would like to thank Assistant Secretary-General Msuya and Assistant Secretary-General Jenča for their insight and contribution to today’s discussion. And I welcome the representative of Ukraine in the chamber.
Mr. President,
Today’s briefings painted a comprehensive picture of the latest developments on the ground and the picture is grim. Civilian casualties are on the rise, homes, schools and hospitals continue to be destroyed. To top it all – there is no end in sight to all the death and suffering.
Since the beginning of the year, Russia has been escalating its aggression. By March, Russia was launching more than a thousand drones and missiles per week, terrorizing Ukrainians in their homes and shelters night after night.
This month, the attacks have been particularly destructive. They culminated on 9 July, when Russia launched its largest ever aerial attack – using more than 700 drones and missiles. This vividly illustrates the accelerating pace of the escalation. This month alone, Russia has launched more than five thousand drones and missiles.
The ramped-up aerial attacks have a devastating impact on the civilian population as we heard. As the briefers pointed out, the numbers of civilians killed or injured have been rising sharply in the first half of 2025. In fact, June was the deadliest month for Ukrainian civilians in three years. In addition to all of this, civilians across Ukraine are each day exposed to arbitrary detentions, torture, executions and sexual violence.
These acts are an obvious violation of international humanitarian law. Slovenia condemns the aggression and the latest escalatory steps.
Mr. President,
Slovenia welcomes all diplomatic efforts towards a just and lasting peace in Ukraine, including the latest meeting between the two countries, held last Wednesday. We welcome the agreement on the PoW exchange in this regard. However, the outcomes of both previous and recent talks remain insufficient.
Instead of genuine peace talks, we are witnessing a surge in drone production. Instead of respect for international law, more and more armaments are being procured – including from countries under UN sanctions. Instead of reuniting families, Ukrainian children remain displaced and deported. Instead of a ceasefire, Ukrainian cities continue to burn.
Mr. President,
We are in a desperate need of a change of pace. We need action to prevent further civilian deaths and finally make a decisive step on the path to peace, as implored by this Council last February.
For months, we have listened to pleas of members of this Council for ceasefire. Too little avail. Enough time has passed. This Council needs to act. We need a ceasefire resolution.
I thank you.