Ukraine's territorial integrity discussed at conference in Riga

The President’s Office reported this, Ukrinform saw.

The conference was organized by Ukraine, Argentina, and Estonia, with Latvia as the host country.

At the event, representatives from 61 countries and organizations participated both in person and via video link. Ukraine was represented in Latvia by Speaker of the Parliament, Ruslan Stefanchuk. Joining online from Kyiv were Andrii Yermak, Head of the Office of the President, his deputy Ihor Zhovkva, and advisors Daria Zarivna and Oleksandr Bevz.

Andrii Yermak emphasized that Russia's invasion represents the first colonial war of the 21st century and stressed the need to restore the international relations system based on the UN Charter.

Yermak noted the cracks exposed in the foundation of international security by Russia's aggression and the UN's inability to effectively respond to violations of its charter.

“A permanent member of the Security Council has become an aggressor. This undermines the basic principles of the Organization," he said.

He called for the complete and unconditional withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine, the cancellation of illegal annexations, and the demilitarization of critical infrastructure such as the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

Stefanchuk highlighted the necessity for UN Security Council reform to prevent abuse of veto power, enhance the role of the International Court of Justice, and create mechanisms to prevent aggression and conflict escalation.

"It’s impossible to find a country that wants to end this war more than Ukraine. But we don’t want to freeze it; we want a meaningful peace. And peace can only be achieved when Russian troops leave Ukraine’s territory," he stressed.

Latvian Saeima Speaker Daiga Mierina stated that Russian leadership must be held accountable for the crime of aggression, emphasizing that full restoration of Ukraine's territorial integrity, including Crimea, is crucial for lasting peace and security.

Estonian Parliament Speaker Lauri Hussar expressed Estonia's support for Ukraine's Peace Formula and a new framework to prevent such acts of aggression in the future.

Damian Arabia, member of the Argentine Chamber of Deputies, assured that his country supports Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, underscoring the significance of the UN Charter.

The conference marked the seventh in a series following the first Peace Summit held in June, which had 92 participating countries and organizations. The outcomes of each conference contribute to proposals for a second Peace Summit, building on all ten points of the peace formula.