Topic: Ukraine
Country: Russia
Delegate Name: Gaurang P. Vaidya
School: Kalamazoo Central High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Russia position papers GLIMUN 2018 committees
In 2014, Russia demonstrated military aggression and planned attacks, in the aims to destroy Ukrainian sovereignty. Russia has engaged in unfair trade deals and economic sanctions that have negatively affected Ukraine for years. The Disarmament and International Security committee expedite this topic to the top of its agenda because there have been more than 10,000 civilian casualties and 1.6 million people displaced in Ukraine over a four year period.(1) Ukraine has worked at great lengths to solve this conflict such as, the Constitutional Court of Ukraine who has deemed the annexation of the Crimean Peninsula and Crimean referendum unconstitutional.(2) The Court has also concluded that the Autonomous Republic of Crimea remains under the Ukrainian Constitution.(3) The Russians have not only wrongfully imprisoned, injured, and murdered thousands of people, they have led Crimea into an economic depression: with an increase in unemployment, a decrease in economically active people, and a decrease in annual salary.(4) Crimea has become the top five recipients of subsidies within Ukraine, and clearly shows that the Russian influence has caused the economic recession.(5) Ukraine urges this committee to understand the detrimental impact that Russia has induced on the Ukrainian people and how it has committed war crimes against them by “violated ceasefire regime almost 1300 times, within the span of 6 weeks from 28 July 2018 to 23 August 2018 and also fired 152 mm artillery on the village of Vrubivka.”(6) Ukraine further urges this committee to provide a resolution to this issue that will have a lasting impact in the region and maintain Ukrainian sovereignty.
The Crimean Peninsula has been disputed since Russia illegally annexed it in 2014; however, this should not have been the case. Ukraine has rightfully owned this land since its independence in 1991 from the USSR and will continue to fight for the Ukrainian people until it is returned to Ukraine. Russia has illegally imprisoned Ukrainians, taken their land and targeted civilians. On February 12th, 2015 it was agreed upon by representatives from Ukraine, Russia, Germany, and France to enact the Minsk Agreement, however, as seen previously, Russia violated the Minsk Agreement and continue to do so. Russia has violated the following clauses in Resolution 2205 and the Minsk Agreement: 1. Enact a ceasefire 2. Withdraw heavy weapons with 100 mm or larger caliber 3. Meet the time constraints for any deadline such as the adoption of the agreement no more than 30 days 5. Release hostages and unlawfully detained persons 6. Provide or allow for the distribution of humanitarian assistance 7. Reinstate full control of conflict areas to Ukraine 8. Disarm the military, mercenaries and illegal groups(7)
Ukraine encourages the Disarmament and International Security Committee to move portions of this topic to the Security Council as they may be able to act on Russia’s ignorance. Russia continues to violate treaties regarding the situation in Ukraine and advances its aggressive expansionist policies(8); however, Ukraine has remained open and looks favorably upon agreements that will create peace and protect Ukrainian sovereignty. The United Nations has provided Ukraine with support and protection of sovereignty through the Security Council Resolution 2202 (2015) and, in more recent regards, the President of the Security Council has urged the re-escalation of the situation in Ukraine. Ukraine has requested a peacekeeping mission multiple times to help observe the complete ceasefire in Crimea.(9) However, Russia has abused its veto power in the Security Council to restrict a ceasefire and prevent peace. As Russian President, Vladimir Putin has boasted to the world that he could “take[n] Kiev in two weeks.”(10) This disgraceful arrogance demonstrates Russia’s ill-intentions. We must act deliberately to form a resolution that will encompass the needs of the Ukrainian people.
Ukraine recommends to the Disarmament and International Security Committee to reevaluate and strengthen Resolution 2202 by ensuring that all parties act on the agreement instated and encourages consequences overseen by ― the Security Council ― for all parties that do not act upon it. Additionally, Ukraine would look favorably upon the call for a Security Council session on the Topic of Situation in Ukraine for the reevaluation of a Peacekeeping Mission to Ukraine to ensure that all parties including both Ukraine, Russia, and all other independent groups ceasefire and proceed with Resolution 2205, including the Minsk Agreements.
Ukraine looks forward to working with delegations of all countries to create a robust resolution that will encompass the needs of every nation and lead to a process of peace, prosperity, and protection for the people of Ukraine.
(1) https://www.cfr.org/interactives/global-conflict-tracker?marker=26#!/conflict/conflict-in-ukraine (2) https://mfa.gov.ua/en/news-feeds/foreign-offices-news/19573-rishennya-konstituci (3) Ibid. (4) https://ankasam.org/en/economic-effect-crimean-annexation/ (5) Ibid. (6) https://mfa.gov.ua/en/press-center/news/66919-statement-on-russias-ongoing-aggression-against-ukraine-and-illegal-occupation-of-crimea (7) https://peacemaker.un.org/ukraine-minsk-implementation15 (8) https://www.rferl.org/a/poroshenko-calls-on-un-stop-russian-aggression-ukraine-crimea-peacekeeping-mission/29512143.html (9) http://www.providingforpeacekeeping.org/2016/09/21/peacekeeping-country-profile-ukraine/ (10) https://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/03/world/europe/ukraine-crisis.html
