Statement by First Deputy Permanent Representative Dmitry Polyanskiy at a UNGA Plenary Meeting on the 80th Anniversary of the Signing of the UN Charter
Mr. President,
I have the honor to make a statement on behalf of the delegations of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation as the member countries of the Union State.
The signing of the UN Charter on June 26, 1945, laid the foundation for the post-war world order and remains the cornerstone of international law to this day. Today, we are talking about the legacy left to us by the member states of the Anti-Hitler Coalition, which, following the misery and destruction caused by World War II, summoned the strength and political will to set aside all ideological differences and unite for the sake of a common goal – to save succeeding generations from the scourge of new wars.
The world paid a huge price for this chance. In the Soviet Union, approximately 27 million people perished at the hands of the Nazis. The suffering of our grandfathers and great-grandfathers, the scale of which the current generation cannot even imagine, was the result of the genocidal policy pursued by the invaders against the Soviet people. The barbarities committed by the Nazis will never be forgotten in our countries.
The commitment of Russia and Belarus to preserving historical truth is part of the DNA of our peoples.
Mindful of the value of the Great Victory over Nazism, we will not allow anyone to cast doubt on its outcome, which were reflected in the purposes and principles of the UN Charter in their entirety. At the same time, we see that the modern world is going through difficult times, and with each passing year, the purposes and principles of the Charter are being increasingly eroded and challenged.
The West's line on replacing the UN Charter with a “rules-based world order” is undermining trust in international institutions as bodies for coordinating interests, and diminish confidence in international law as a guarantee of justice and protection for the weak.
We must all speak out against such attempts and against the unipolar model of global development while advancing an equitable and sustainable multipolar architecture.
But this is clearly not to the liking of those who are seeking to preserve the post-colonial system, which is finally becoming a thing of the past. There is still a great deal of work ahead of us, and it will not be easy.
Reform processes within the UN must be carried out under strict control of the member states. Ultimately, the UN must once again become a universal platform for honest discussions aimed at finding mutually agreeable and respectful solutions. It was with this aim that the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter was created in 2021, with Russia and Belarus being co-founders thereof.
Mr. President,
Russia and Belarus call on all UN members to abandon phobias, stereotypes, and various geopolitical projects, while respecting each other's interests, establishing constructive and creative work for the sake of the future of all humanity, and rejecting the logic of “zero-sum games.” Only in this way will we be able to achieve the desired result, preserve and multiply the legacy left to us by the founding fathers of the UN.
Thank you.
