UN General Assembly
2023

Last year in this very Hall most of us condemned Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine — an act of blatant aggression that has shattered the inviolability of a sovereign border and has cost so many innocent lives. Overall, the international community has stood firm against Putin’s provocation and disastrous attempt to rewrite history. Today, however, the assertion on Russia’s part is that NATO, the EU and the other partners that support Ukraine will eventually lose the stomach to continue that fight. Let me be clear: that should not happen and that will not happen. We will never walk away from Ukraine, because to do so would be to abandon the very principles of peace, democracy and adherence to international law that so many in this Hall hold dear. That message was sent out loud and clear by the leaders of the whole Balkans region, on 21 August, in Athens, at the regional summit we hosted together with President Zelenskyy.