The Diplomat
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, has demanded in New York, before the United Nations General Assembly, the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine and the end of the aggression in the name of “the founding principles” of the United Nations: “the abolition of war and the preservation of peace”.
Albares was speaking on Wednesday night of Thursday (Spanish time) at a special special session of the UN General Assembly devoted to Ukraine. During his speech, the minister condemned “in the most categorical terms” Russia’s war of aggression, which is a “flagrant violation of international humanitarian law” and represents a “global threat”, and not only to Europe.
“It is an illegal war, contrary to the United Nations Charter” and, “if this precedent is consolidated, tomorrow we will face a more insecure and violent world,” he said. He also denounced the “illegal” means used by Russia in Ukraine, including war crimes and human rights violations, and warned that “those responsible for these crimes must be brought to justice”.
For all these reasons, he stated, “Spain demands, once again, the immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of Russian troops from all Ukrainian territory, as ordered by the International Court of Justice in March,” and calls for “a comprehensive, just, lasting peace, with full respect for international law and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.”
Albares also expressed Spain’s support for the draft resolution that has been submitted to the General Assembly, co-sponsored by the EU by more than 70 countries and which calls for the “cessation of hostilities” and the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukrainian territory. According to Albares, “it is not only a question of voting in favor of Ukraine’s right to exist as a State”, but of supporting “its security and freedom”, which are the “founding motives and fundamental principles of the United Nations: the abolition of war and the preservation of peace”.
In this regard, the Foreign Minister recalled that the UN “was born to preserve future generations from the scourge of war” and “was built on a Charter that enshrines the basic principles of an international society, which contains a promise of peace and development for all our peoples, and that is what we want for Ukraine”.
Albares also took advantage of his speech to recall that Spain is the fifth country in the European Union that has taken in the most displaced Ukrainians (around 170,000) and has allocated “the largest aid package in its history for a single country”, in addition to the 250 million euros earmarked for the reconstruction of the country through multilateral agencies. José Manuel Albares also held a bilateral meeting with the Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres, and to attend a dinner with all the EU Foreign Ministers present in New York. The Minister will attend today the UN Security Council debate on the Maintenance of Peace and Security in Ukraine.
