On September 4, 2025, the General Assembly convened a session addressing the situation in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine. The Assembly was addressed by H.E. Mariana Betsa, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. Among those delivering interventions was H.E. Ambassador Beresford-Hill, who spoke on behalf of the Sovereign Order of Malta.<\/p>\n
H.E. Philemon Yang, President of the General Assembly<\/strong>, reaffirmed the need for a solution rooted in the UN Charter and international law, calling for a complete and immediate withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukrainian territory. He stressed that the 80th anniversary of the UN Charter must serve as a reminder that peace is achieved through dialogue and diplomacy and welcomed the efforts of the United States to promote a lasting peace through negotiations.<\/p>\n H.E Mariana Betsa, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs for Ukraine<\/strong>, expressed gratitude to the General Assembly for its support over the course of the twelve-year-long conflict, while also highlighting the immense pain and tragic price paid by Ukrainians daily. Ms. Betsa provided examples of recent civilian deaths, and a series of missile attacks on Chernihiv and other cities, which she cited as proof that Russia did not seek peace but instead aimed to destroy Ukraine as a nation. She detailed a long list of documented war crimes and human rights violations, including the systematic use of sexual violence, the torture of thousands of captives, and the deportation of at least 20,000 Ukrainian children in what she called the largest state abduction operation in history. She emphasized that peace was impossible without serious international pressure and outlined the non-negotiable conditions for a durable settlement: an unconditional ceasefire, legally binding security guarantees, and the complete withdrawal of Russian forces from all Ukrainian territory, which would never be recognized as Russian. Ms. Betsa concluded by reassuring that Russia was not winning and that with continued military and political aid, Ukraine was capable of winning the war and ensuring that democracy would prevail.<\/p>\n H.E. Ambassador Beresford-Hill<\/strong> reflected on the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, a period that highlighted the immense human suffering caused by conflict. Drawing a parallel to the current situation in Ukraine, he emphasized the Order’s commitment to humanitarian diplomacy and its firm belief in upholding the rule of law and the UN Charter. Ambassador Beresford-Hill reported that their staff had observed alarming rates of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among Ukrainian schoolchildren, noting that 75% were affected and that one in ten refused to attend school. While acknowledging the efforts of world leaders to negotiate a resolution, he implored them to consider the devastating human cost of the war on innocent civilians. Rereferring the prophet Isiah\u2019s appeal to \u2018turn swords into ploughshares\u201d, Ambassador Beresford-Hill urged for an immediate ceasefire as the only humanitarian way to begin a true dialogue and honor the values enshrined in the UN Charter.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","news_gallery":"no","news_video":"