Russia ought to use rule of law and not ‘rule of force’

We thank Kenya for the strong position expressed by Ambassador Martin Kimani in New York. The Charter of the UN is currently under assault by Russia. By threatening the Ukraine with force, Russia has chosen to violate the fundamental principles of the UN Charter and the diplomatic process of Minsk, which had been approved by the UN Security Council, including by Russia. 

Russia pretends to send “peacekeepers” into eastern Ukraine in what essentially constitutes a large-scale invasion of a neighbouring country, further damaging the UN by using UN terminology to obscure its own actions and disregard for the rule of law.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres found the right words: “I am concerned about the perversion of the concept of peacekeeping. When troops of one country enter the territory of another country without its consent, they are not impartial peacekeepers. They are not peacekeepers at all.”

Russia is unilaterally choosing the path of confrontation despite the relentless efforts for de-escalation over the past weeks, including by French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Russia’s recognition of the separatist regions of Ukraine as “independent” is, after the illegal annexation of the Crimea in 2014, a further attack on Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.  

Germany and France condemn this in the strongest terms, and we will continue to react appropriately. We call upon Russia to revert to the path of diplomacy, respect for international law and the UN.

Threat to the Ukraine

But this conflict is not about principles of international law and respect for the sovereignty of Ukraine alone. It is about the principles of the UN Charter. We are grateful for the resounding support of Kenya, as a member of the UN Security Council, for the rules-based system of multilateralism, and the diplomatic efforts of the EU and others to find a peaceful solution. If we do not answer Russia’s aggression with one voice, multilateralism and the international rules-based order will suffer more. 

Our countries are also dependent on a rules-based order for a smooth exchange of goods and services. The crisis threatens to drive up food prices and inflation with consequences everywhere.

France, Germany and the EU member states concentrate their efforts on preventing further military escalation. We have put in place a package of sanctions as a non-military answer to Russia’s ongoing threat to the Ukraine with tens of thousands of heavily armed troops. Nato will guarantee the collective security of our territory. 

Our efforts in the spirit of the UN Charter do not aim at fighting a war but preventing one. We regret that Russia has not accepted the offer of dialogue to find a political solution in the Nato-Russia Council. But we cannot wait this conflict out. Borders cannot be changed unilaterally. The threat or use of violence is unacceptable and against our shared values.

Ms Kuster-Menager is the French Ambassador to Kenya; @FranceinKenya.

Ms Guenther is the German Ambassador to Kenya; @GermanyinKenya.