Ahead of the Security Council High-Level Open Debate on Upholding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter through effective multilateralism: maintenance of peace and security of Ukraine, Prime Minister Edi Rama issued a press statement in his capacity as President of the Council meeting.

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Prime Minister Edi Rama: Good morning! In a few minutes the Security Council will hold the first High-Level open debate on maintenance of international peace and security through the respect of the purposes and principles of the U.N Charter, in the context of the war in Ukraine. I am pleased and honoured to chair this meeting.

I welcome the high level participation, including President Zelenskyy and the impressive number of world dignitaries inscribed in the list of speakers. It could not be otherwise.

An unprovoked and just an unjustified war of choice has brought a deadly and enduring conflict in the heart of Europe. Nothing good has come out of it only death, destruction and misery for Ukraine and its people but not only.

As we all are aware the detrimental efforts, effects of the war are not limited to Ukraine and Europe only. They continue to sense shock waves in every corner of the world and are threatening again food security worldwide.

This is why we need to stay engaged and committed to bring to the Security Council the truth and the sad reality of this unnecessary and totally avoidable widespread destruction and, by doing so, to counter a distorted narrative that seeks to justify occupation and annexation.

This is what Albania and many other countries have been doing continuously on the Council. 

We need to stand for the rules-based international order, which has proved itself again the prophecy that might is right.

We need to defend multilateralism and resist to all sorts of destruction which want to further fragment the international community, at a time when it needs to be united in purpose and in action in efforts to stop this war but also to find common solutions to many urgent pressing issues.

This meeting is timely and necessary to also share ideas and opinions about the best way to grasp every possibility for peace a just peace based on the U.N Charter and the resolutions adopted by the UN General Assembly.

Helping Ukraine defend itself by holding Russia today sends the right message and the best one to anyone thinking to engage into similar adventures tomorrow it reassures those who seek peace and cooperation, it warns those who dream of conflict and confrontation, because if aggression will succeed it may signal the end of the world as we know it; the end of the inviolability of borders.

We need to prove that if a permanent member of the Security Council can veto a resolution in the Security Council, it cannot veto the freedom of its neighbour, their right to exist and their ability to choose their future.

Let me conclude that by recalling that we will use this meeting to renew our call to Russia to resume the Black Sea Grain Initiative for the sake of those hundreds of millions, who look at the U.N for help, for food, and for their lives.