The delegation of Ukraine has voted in favor of the Resolution adopted by UNSC on February 26, 2016 on ceasefire in Syria. We hope that it will serve the purpose of the de-escalation of the Syrian conflict. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian delegation made a statement after the adoption of the Resolution in which stressed that it is precisely the Russian Federation’s support for the Assad regime that has led to the current disaster in Syria and dramatic developments of the situation in the recent months.

Russia being de-facto a party to the conflict is fiercely trying to impose itself as a mediator in the Syrian settlement process. We are very familiar with this approach, because Moscow applies the same tactics like in Donbas. Russia is stirring up the violence in Syria, in particular, through deploying military personnel, providing arms and ammunition, conducting combat operations and spreading false propaganda.

Russian military activities around Aleppo in February 2016 are similar to the tactics that have been used by Russia in February 2015 in the Ukrainian city of Debaltseve: Kremlin is signing the cease-fire agreements and immediately violates it barefacedly.

Regrettably, proposals of Ukraine to balance the text of the draft of the Resolution were not duly reflected. Reaffirming our concerns on the developments in Syria and in order to settle the ongoing conflict urgently, the Ukrainian delegation nevertheless has decided to support the draft of the Resolution.