Remarks at the UN Security Council Stakeout Following Russia’s Veto over Aid to Syria

Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield
U.S. Representative to the United Nations
New York, New York
July 8, 2022

As you heard me say earlier today, this is a dark day for the Security Council – and it is truly a sad day for the people of Syria: 4.1 million people in northwest Syria need humanitarian assistance. And today, one member – one member of the Security Council – chose to actively cut them off from the food, diapers, medicines, and supplies that they need.

Today, Russia chose to close hospitals and schools in Syria. Russia chose to deny nutrition assistance to 85,000 Syrians, and dignity kits for 250,000 women and girls. They chose to stop shipments of lifesaving therapeutics that could stem the tide of hunger sweeping across Syria. This was a life-or-death vote for the Syrian people and Russia chose the latter.

The penholder’s resolution was a compromise. This was already the bare minimum the Syrian people needed to survive and reflected close consultations with all Council members. Being a leader at the UN means seriously contributing to the world’s most pressing crises – including urgent humanitarian and food insecurity crises – both in funding and in diplomatic support. Today, Russia chose to do neither.

For our part, the United States will continue to put these needs first. When I visited the region, I looked into the eyes of aid workers and refugees, and I saw desperation. And I will not stop until we have done everything – everything – we can to get them the aid they need.

We said from the beginning of this process that we needed to be responsive to the needs of the Syrian people. A six-month extension, as proposed by the Russians, could leave Syrians without blankets in the dead of winter, without the supplies that they need. It would deny the UN and humanitarian organizations the time to organize the reliable supply of humanitarian aid for all the Syrians who are beneficiaries of cross-border deliveries. And, frankly, Russia’s approach to these negotiations was unprofessional, it was greedy, they hijacked the penholders – and desperate Syrians will pay the price.

As I told the Council just now, we could not support Russia’s insufficient resolution. It simply did not meet the moment in any way, shape, or form. And it provided support only to the Syrian regime.

Despite this, 14 members of the Council sent an important signal today and stood united behind reauthorizing the lifesaving humanitarian aid for another year in Syria. Fortunately, there are still two days – two days left before the mandate expires. And this Council has two days to reverse course and put the needs of the Syrian people first.