A joint press statement on the tenth anniversary of the beginning of the armed aggression of the Russian Federation and the second anniversary of the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine was read out by Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Dmytro Kuleba in New York (USA) on February 23. The text of the statement was published on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine on Friday evening.

Today we mark a decade since the beginning of Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine on 19 February of 2014, which started with its seizure of Crimea, and two years since the beginning of Russia’s unprovoked, full-scale and illegal invasion of Ukraine.

We reiterate our resolute condemnation of this flagrant violation of international law.

We deplore the Russian Federation’s failure to implement the UN General Assembly resolutions, adopted at its 11th Emergency special session.

We also refer to the judgment of the International Court of Justice of 31 January 2024 that leaves no doubt that the Russian Federation is in violation of its international legal obligations.

We also consider that the ICJ Judgment of 2 February 2024 is an important step towards holding Russia accountable for its violations of international law. We reiterate that the ICJ Order on provisional measures of 16 March 2022 obliges Russia to immediately suspend the military operation that it commenced on 24 February 2022 in the territory of Ukraine, remains legally binding and must be implemented by the Russian Federation.

We are appalled by Russian forces attacks striking civilians and civilian infrastructure of Ukraine, which may constitute war crimes.

We reemphasize that indiscriminate attacks are prohibited by international humanitarian law.

We also condemn continued military support for Russia’s war of aggression, including by Iran, Belarus and the DPRK. We urge all countries not to provide weapons and to restrict exports of all items critical to the military to Russia for its war of aggression against Ukraine. Russia’s continued procurement of arms and related materiel, including ballistic missiles, from the DPRK places both in violation of the UN Security Council resolutions.

The Russian Federation’s actions undermine the credibility of the Security Council and its resolutions, exacerbate regional tensions, and endanger us all.

Today, we gathered to reaffirm our solidarity with the people of Ukraine, pay tribute to all those who have sacrificed their lives in the defense of the freedom and independence of Ukraine and express our deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims of the ongoing Russian aggression against Ukraine.

We demand from Russia the complete exchange of prisoners of war as well as the release of all unlawfully detained persons and the return of all internees and of civilians forcibly transferred or deported, including children.

We will continue working on ensuring accountability for serious crimes under international law committed on the territory of Ukraine during the Russian aggression. We reiterate our demand to Russia to stop its war of aggression against Ukraine and to ensure the full, immediate and unconditional withdrawal of all Russian forces and military equipment from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders.

We remain committed to the vision of a comprehensive, just and lasting peace for Ukraine in line with the principles of the UN Charter. In this regard, we are encouraged by the meeting of national security advisors and foreign policy advisors on the implementation of the Peace Formula in Davos where the key principles of achieving the peace for Ukraine were discussed. Representatives of more than 80 states and international organizations took part in the meeting. We express our joint support for an inaugural Global Peace Summit. We reaffirm our unwavering support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders, extending to its territorial waters. The statement was published on behalf of the governments of Ukraine, Albania, Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federal States of), Monaco, Montenegro, the Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Palau, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Uruguay and the European Union.