UN General Assembly
2016

International law cannot be reduced to the law of the jungle. On the frontiers of Europe, the territorial integrity of several countries has been violated by one country alone. It is not acceptable to fan the flames of conflict in order to soothe nostalgic feelings of grandeur. I urge that we work to find a way out of this logic of confrontation with Russia. We have too many interests in common to allow ourselves the luxury of diplomatic paralysis. In the past few years we have made a lot of progress in reducing poverty and improving access to basic health care. But we know very well that there is still so much to do. The Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change have given us a proactive framework to continue making progress, and we should strive unstintingly to implement them. It is our duty to future generations to create a safer world that is more respectful of our planet.