August 30, 2024
Thank you, Mr. President. And thank you, UNODA Director Ebo for your briefing.
Colleagues, as we all know, Russia started this war by invading Ukraine in clear violation of the UN Charter. Russia’s alleged concern that UN Member States are helping Ukraine defend itself is nothing short of absurd.
If Russia would like to have a discussion on the risks resulting from weapons transfers, then let us have a real one.
As Russia deploys chemical weapons on the battlefield and continues to kill civilians and destroy Ukrainian critical infrastructure, Iran, the DPRK, and China are providing Russia with the material support it needs to wage its war of choice.
First, Iran. The world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism. Iran is fueling Russia’s aggression with direct military support, providing lethal weapons, which the Kremlin is using with devastating effect against Ukrainian civilians and infrastructure.
Just a few days ago, on the anniversary of Ukraine’s independence from the Soviet Union, Russia reportedly used approximately one hundred Shahed UAVs and glide bombs in a major attack targeting critical infrastructure throughout Ukraine, including the electricity grid, power plants, and natural gas facilities. Russia procures or produces these UAVs thanks to its partnership with Iran.
We remain seriously concerned by the consequences of Iran potentially transferring ballistic missiles and related technology to Russia.
If Iran were to move forward with the transfer of ballistic missiles to Russia, it would represent a dramatic escalation and a serious risk to international peace and security. Iran’s support for Russia’s war of aggression threatens European security and illustrates how Iran’s destabilizing influence reaches beyond the Middle East and around the world.
Then there are DPRK’s arms transfers. In its attacks this past weekend, Russia fired at least six possible North Korean-supplied ballistic missiles. Since late December 2023, Russia has fired upwards of 65 North Korean-supplied ballistic missiles on Ukraine.
The DPRK has unlawfully transferred dozens of ballistic missiles and more than 16,500 containers of munitions and munitions-related materiel to Russia, prolonging the suffering of the Ukrainian people. Russia’s procurement of DPRK ballistic missiles violates the UN arms embargo on the DPRK that Russia itself supported in this Council.
Colleagues, Moscow’s military cooperation with Pyongyang is cynical and dangerous. The Kremlin shields the DPRK from UN scrutiny of its unlawful nuclear and ballistic missile development programs in exchange for the DPRK’s material support to Russia’s war of choice. By doing so, Russia undermines the UN Charter and the principles of nonproliferation, the importance of which Russia used to recognize.
Let me also address the significant support Russia receives from China and the two countries’ so-called “no-limits” strategic partnership, which props up Russia’s defense industrial base and enables it to continue an illegal war against Ukraine.
China is exporting to Russia nitro-cellulose, machine tools, microelectronics, optics, and UAV and cruise missile technology that Russia deploys in its attacks against civilians and Ukraine’s infrastructure.
We have seen a massive buildup of Russia’s weaponry over the last year and a half – including tanks, missiles, and munitions – all fueled by China’s dual-use imports.
China cannot have it both ways: It cannot claim to be for peace and want better relations with Europe while at the same time fueling the most significant threat to European security since the end of the Cold War.
If the Russian Federation were serious about international peace and security, rather than wasting our time in this venue with bad-faith arguments and counteraccusations steeped in disinformation, the Kremlin would have agreed to participate in Ukraine’s second Peace Summit earlier this year.
I would also like to point out the falsehood in Russia’s narrative that “Western” countries support Ukraine. In fact, countries that stand with the democratically elected government of Ukraine in defense of the UN Charter’s principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity represent all geographical regions of the globe, not just Western countries.
The United States will continue to stand with those countries. We will continue to call for justice for the victims of the Kremlin’s war of aggression and accountability for those responsible. And we will continue to call out those who enable Russia and its brutal war of aggression against the people of Ukraine.
And finally, Mr. President, I would just like to add a response to a comment that was made by the representative of the Russian Federation. Russia, as we have all heard, many, many, many times, claims that the West is trying to weaken Russia. The West is not weakening Russia. However, through its use of chemical weapons, its war of aggression against Ukraine, its use of Wagner forces to terrorize Africans, its nuclear saber-rattling, its interference in democratic elections around the globe, its support for terror groups in the Middle East, Russia is doing an excellent job of that all by itself.
Thank you, Mr. President.