On September 23, 2025, the 42nd Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) opened in Montreal and will continue until October 3, 2025.

The Assembly brings together all 193 ICAO Member States once every three years. Over two weeks, delegations will discuss key issues of international civil aviation development, review the ICAO Council’s reports, and adopt decisions on the Organization’s activities. An important part of the agenda will be the upcoming elections to the ICAO Council, which consists of 36 states and is formed by three groups of representation. It should be recalled that during the previous Assembly in 2022, ICAO members did not elect Russia to the first group of the ICAO Council due to its full-scale armed aggression against Ukraine.

Ukraine is represented at the Assembly by a governmental delegation led by Deputy Minister for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine Serhiy Derkach.

On the first day of the Assembly, the Head of Ukraine’s Government Delegation delivered Ukraine’s National Statement, which highlighted:
💬 “The continuous violations of the sovereignty of Ukraine’s airspace – a fundamental principle underpinning the global aviation system – hinder the development and prosperity of Ukrainian aviation on an equal footing with other states. Our national manufacturers design and produce aviation products, but, unfortunately, the Antonov 225 ‘Mriya’ – the heaviest cargo aircraft ever to take to the skies – was destroyed in 2022 near Kyiv as a result of Russia’s illegal, unprovoked, and full-scale armed invasion of Ukraine. A small model of this aircraft and a memorial plaque are here at ICAO, in the lobby of this building, serving as a reminder to us all of this important fragment of aviation history.”

Serhiy Derkach emphasized that a state systematically violating international norms and practices adopted by the ICAO Council cannot be among its members and called on ICAO members not to vote for Russia in the upcoming Council elections.

Ukraine’s participation in the ICAO Assembly is an important opportunity to convey the truth to the global aviation community, strengthen international cooperation in civil aviation safety and development, counter Russian narratives, and promote accountability of the aggressor.

Over the next two weeks, the Assembly will review a number of Russia’s violations, including:
🔹 Illegal “double registration” of aircraft leased from international companies;
🔹 Operation of aircraft without valid airworthiness certificates;
🔹 Issuance of unauthorized certificates by Russia.

Russia remains subject to a “Significant Safety Concern” status. The ICAO Council noted the absence of any remedial actions by Russia to address these violations and recommended that the Assembly’s resolution remain in force.

In addition, a draft resolution will be considered on Russian radiofrequency interference with the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), which undermines international aviation safety. Such actions have already been recognized by the ICAO Council as violations of the Chicago Convention.