Millions of Ukrainian citizens have been forced to flee their homes, thousands have been killed and wounded, children have been kidnapped and tortured, and the destruction of Ukrainian towns and villages continues every day. Russian President Putin continues with a relentless, aggressive and reprehensible policy that shows absolutely no sign of ending the war. If the death of Alexei Navalny is a message of what the world's prospects for peace can be, then it is a terrible message.

My thoughts today are all the more with the people of Ukraine, the families and friends of the victims, the wounded, the Ukrainian soldiers defending their homes, the children, the women and all those who desire peace and freedom. Together with our allies, with whom we share a common commitment to democracy and human rights, Slovenia is unequivocally committed to peace and a peaceful solution to the conflict. We are united in our efforts to defend freedom and to achieve a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.

Our basic guiding principle must remain the search for an opportunity for a ceasefire and then for a lasting peace based on the principles of international law and the UN Charter. We must commit ourselves to finally bringing both sides to the negotiating table, together with representatives of the international community, and to giving diplomacy a chance to lead to peace and to enable people to end their suffering and return to normal life.