Full text of Vietnam's statement at the United Nations General Assembly on the situation in Ukraine

Dear Mr. President,

More than 70 years ago, the foundersUnited NationsThey placed in the Charter many hopes and aspirations for future generations to avoid the dangers of war. They included in the Charter basic principles that have now become the foundation for international law and friendly relations and cooperation between nations.

However, actions inconsistent with these principles continue to occur, seriously threatening international peace, as well as the security and development of nations and peoples. Such actions challenge the relevance and legitimacy of the United Nations itself.

The history of our own people who have suffered wars has repeatedly shown that wars and conflicts up to now often originate from outdated doctrines that promote power politics, the ambition to dominate, impose and use force to resolve international disputes. Some conflicts are still linked to historical factors, misconceptions and misunderstandings.

From its own experience, Vietnam understands that when wars and conflicts break out, they only cause profound suffering to the people and serious consequences to many aspects of life of the countries directly involved as well as of other countries.

In that context, Vietnam has repeatedly stressed the importance of respecting international law and the United Nations Charter. All international disputes must be resolved by peaceful means, based on the fundamental principles of international law and the United Nations Charter, including the principles of sovereign equality, political independence and territorial integrity, non-interference in the internal affairs of states and non-threat or use of force. All states, large or small, must comply with these fundamental principles.

Therefore, Vietnam is extremely concerned about the current armed conflict in Ukraine, a sovereign member state of the United Nations. Vietnam and other ASEAN member states issued a statement on this issue on February 26. The urgent thing now is to exercise maximum restraint and immediately stop the use of force to avoid further casualties and losses, especially to civilians.

We call on all parties concerned to de-escalate tensions, resume dialogue and negotiations through all channels, with a view to reaching a lasting solution that takes into account the interests and concerns of all parties, on the basis of international law, in particular the principle of respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States. Such solutions would end suffering and contribute significantly to peace, security and development in Europe and the world at large.

In this regard, we noted the meeting between representatives of Ukraine and the Russian Federation yesterday and hope that the relevant parties will continue to discuss and soon reach a conclusion to the negotiations. At the same time, it is necessary to protect the safety and security of civilians and essential civilian infrastructure in accordance with international humanitarian law.

To create a favorable environment for these goals, we call on the international community, countries in and outside the region to continue supporting and facilitating dialogue between the parties. Viet Nam hopes for further efforts to increase humanitarian aid for civilians, and welcomes the activities of the United Nations and other partners in recent days to help people on the ground, including refugees.

We believe that it is necessary to ensure safety, security and facilitate evacuation for all foreign citizens living in Ukraine, including Vietnamese people here./.