Discurso do Representante Permanente Alterno, Embaixador João Genésio de Almeida Filho, em reunião do Conselho de Segurança no formato Fórmula Arria sobre o tema "A Sistemática Guerra da Ucrânia contra os residentes de Donbass: 2014 em diante" - 20 de janeiro de 2023 (texto em inglês)

Statement by the Deputy Permanent Representative Ambassador João Genésio de Almeida Filho during the UN Security Council Arria Formula Meeting on “The systematic war of Ukraine against the residents of Donbass: 2014 and onwards”
January 20th, 2023

Mister Chair,

Let me start by offering my condolences to the Delegatio of Gabon on the death of Foreign Minister Michael Moussa Adamo.

Thank the Russian Delegation for the wealth of information provided and for the strong testimonies brought to our knowledge today.

Mister Chair,

The history of Donbas since the Minsk Accords exposes the risks of so-called "frozen conflicts". In theory, the Minsk formula, endorsed by Resolution 2202 of the Security Council in 2015, would guarantee the fulfilment of the legitimate demands of the local population without threatening the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. Subsequent events demonstrate, however, the need for a sustainable political solution on the implementation site.

Brazil has always condemned the use of force to resolve conflicts. The priority of the United Nations must be the establishment of a ceasefire without preconditions, to put an end to the immense human and material losses imposed on the civilian population.

The cessation of hostilities must then open the way to a frank and realistic discussion about the future relations between the two states and about Europe’s security architecture. This is a topic that concerns everyone, as demonstrated by the devastating effects of the conflict on the economies of developing countries and the risk of a nuclear catastrophe in Zaporizhzhia.

Any sustainable solution will require guarantees for the security of Ukraine and for the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of the people of Donbas. The Security Council must actively engage in the pursuit of dialogue between the parties, based on Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and on the recognition of the legitimate security concerns of all those involved in the conflict.

And I thank you.