Excellencies, Ladies and gentlemen,

Day after day, Russia continues to bomb Ukrainian cities. Striking critical energy infrastructure. In the midst of an extremely harsh winter.

Day after day, for four long years, Ukraine has been under fire. Dozens of cities have been destroyed. Countless lives have been lost.

Yet what remains unbroken is the spirit of the Ukrainian people.

And as I take office as Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, I want to make one thing clear: supporting Ukraine remains a key priority.

Because the battle being fought by the Ukrainian people isn’t only about security. It’s also about the core principles of how we cooperate as countries. The core principles of this organisation. Principles that are enshrined in the Helsinki Final Act: refraining from the use of force; respect for sovereignty; and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.

To the people of Ukraine I say: we will stand by you. And you can continue to count on our strong military, political, financial and humanitarian support.

The new Netherlands government has pledged multiannual support for Ukraine. And we are proud of our collaboration with the Ukrainian defence industry.

And to the Russian delegation I say: it is you who started this war. And it is you who can end it. Today, if you choose to do so.

In the US-led peace efforts, Ukraine has repeatedly shown serious willingness to negotiate a just and lasting peace. We urge Russia to negotiate in good faith. Unfortunately, we have seen no signs of this so far.

Let me be clear once more: we will do everything possible to secure justice for the Ukrainian people.

The instruments of this organisation are in place: Like the Moscow Mechanism, which is being used to help hold Russia accountable for its violations of human rights and international law; and the Support Programme for Ukraine, which is delivering much needed help to the Ukrainian people.

Finally: Let us make sure that we stand together with the Ukrainian people. Who yearn for a normal life, free from Russian aggression. They deserve nothing less than a just and lasting peace.