Discussions particularly focused on maintaining peace and security in Ukraine, the situation in the temporarily occupied Ukrainian territories, as well as the situation of Ukrainian children affected by the war.
In between meetings, the minister was able to speak with his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, and reaffirmed Luxembourg’s full solidarity with Ukraine and its people as they continue to defend themselves against Russia’s aggressions.
Xavier Bettel lamented that Russia’s Permanent Representative had left the room after his own speech to the General Assembly, which Bettel interprets as a lack of willingness to engage in dialogue. The minister also criticised Russian attempts of rewriting history and of justifying the war on the premise of fighting Nazism.
“Starting a war is not greatness in politics, it is finishing a war that shows the greatness of a politician”, the minister remarked.
“Let us also recognise the strength of the Ukrainians. The Ukrainians are fighting. But they are not just fighting for themselves. They are also fighting for us.”
As part of his trip, Xavier Bettel also met with the Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres to discuss the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, stressing that this is a serious violation of the United Nations Charter.
The situation in the Middle East, and in particular in the Gaza Strip, was also on the agenda. In this respect, Minister Bettel reiterated Luxembourg’s call for an immediate ceasefire and for the unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid to the civilian population in Gaza. The importance of releasing all the hostages held by Hamas was also stressed.
Whilst in New York, Minister Bettel also spoke to Catherine Colonna, who chairs the UNRWA Independent Review Panel set up by the UN Secretary-General, and participated in a discussion on the situation in the Middle East with representatives of countries in the region.
The minister concluded his visit with a meeting with Japan’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Kiyoto Tsuji, which provided an opportunity to take stock of bilateral relations, particularly in the fields of air services and space.
