Madame President, Excellencies,

It is a true honour for me to address the Security Council today and I would like to thank the Slovenian Presidency for this opportunity.

Clearly, no country can deliver the global peace on its own. To provide our citizens with security and conditions for peaceful development, we believe the world needs, on one hand, operational and effective multilateral institutions, and on the other, their members accepting their responsibility.

As to the first point, a comprehensive reform of the UN Security Council towards making it more effective, inclusive, accountable, and better reflecting today’s realities by strengthening the voice of underrepresented regions, especially but not limited to Africa, is essentially needed.

Without structural and procedural changes, the Council’s performance and legitimacy will inevitably suffer.

Overdue of the reform of the Security Council is blatantly exposed in the face of the Russian war against Ukraine.

The UN Security Council membership is not a privilege. It is first and foremost a responsibility to defend global peace and security entrusted to the Council’s members on behalf of all of us.

To my second point: Global security depends on the efforts and willingness of the Council’s members to assume their responsibility. What Russia is demonstrating is the exact opposite. Its war in Ukraine is shaking the foundations of our collective security.

Russia’s declared goal to subjugate Ukraine by force ramifies far beyond the region. It has global consequences that include impairing nuclear safety, diminishing food and energy security, but also a dangerous attempt of damaging rules-based international order.

In the third year of this war, it is evident that Russia would not be capable of all of this on its own.

Let me use this opportunity to recall also China’s responsibility as a global actor and a permanent member of the UN Security Council to work for peace and stability.

It is not sustainable that China continues to fuel the biggest security challenge by delivering the tools Russia needs to build its military capacity against Ukraine and its people.

China should fulfil the role it aspires to play. Being a major global player means not only the benefits, but also a huge responsibility for the global peace and security.

I therefore invite China to use its uniquely close relations with Russia to bring about an end to the bloodshed in Ukraine and all the associated threats to the world security!

Ladies and gentlemen,

Leadership is about responsibility and also about commitment to keeping peace. "Leadership for Peace" — this is our goal and our duty.

Thank you for your attention.

President of the Czech Republic Petr Pavel at the UN Security Council open debate on Leadership for Peace, New York, 25th September 2024