Ambassador Holland highlights the intensification of Russia's attacks on Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure in 2025, despite ongoing peace negotiations. He reiterates the UK's grave concern and calls for Russia to respect Ukraine's sovereignty, cease its aggression, and engage seriously in negotiations.
Thank you, Madam Chair. As we conclude the FSC's work for 2025, the United Kingdom reiterates its grave concern at Russia's ongoing campaign against Ukraine. Each winter since 2022, we have cited independent sources detailing Russia's pattern of targeting of civilians and critical infrastructure. This year, that pattern has intensified.
Despite ongoing peace negotiations, Russia has escalated its attacks. Three data points make this very clear:
In 2025 Russia has killed over 2,200 Ukrainian civilians and injured more than 11,000. This is a 27% increase in casualties compared to last year.
Since Russia sent a delegation to the first bilateral talks with Ukraine in mid-May, it has launched the 35 largest air attacks of the entire war.
And from June to November, Russian drones fired have averaged over 5,300 a month. This is more than five times the 2024 monthly average.
This is not the conduct of a state seeking peace. That is why, at the Ministerial Council last week, our Minister said: "we are committed to holding Russia to account - for its illegal, unprovoked, and unjustifiable war against Ukraine; for the forced deportations of innocent children; and for unlawfully detaining civilians, including, as has been referenced, three members of this organisation's staff."
Mr Chair, the UK hopes that this is the last time we sit at this Forum against the backdrop of Russia's war. As we have established clearly in this Forum, the only obstruction to peace is Russia's continued willingness to fight a war of aggression that it started. A war which continues to cause misery and death on our continent.
The path to peace remains clear. It is a path that Russia must choose. It must choose to return to full compliance with international law and the Helsinki Final Act. It must choose to respect Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. And it must choose to cease its attacks, withdraw all of its forces from all of Ukraine, and to engage seriously in negotiations. Thank you.
