Right of Reply to the Russian Federation on Ukraine
As delivered by Chargé d’Affaires Courtney Austrian
to the Permanent Council, Vienna
December 9, 2021
Thank you, Madam Chair.
First of all, I am sorry to have disappointed my esteemed Russian colleague through my presence at this week’s Permanent Council. We hope to have Ambassador Carpenter in Vienna for next week’s Permanent Council.
As I said in my remarks, Russia can accuse Ukraine of being the aggressor and it can accuse the United States of helping as much as it likes, but the reality is that Russia is the only perpetrator of this conflict. I also assure you and all of the members of the Permanent Council that U.S. concerns about Russian military activity along the Ukrainian border and Russian intentions are extremely well founded, and in fact, this is exactly what President Biden raised with President Putin in their conversation on December 7th.
Finally, Ukraine has a right to sovereignty and territorial integrity. It also has a right to self-defense and I remind this Permanent Council that Javelins are entirely defensive in nature.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
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