September 13, 2024
Thank you, Madam President. And thank you High Representative Nakamitsu for your briefing.
Wow that was quite a bit of propaganda and lies. It’s quite amazing what we just heard.
The United States welcomes the opportunity to address the seriousness of weapons transfers into the conflict in Ukraine, which Russia started. Transfers to the aggressor are enabling the largest invasion in Europe since World War II, prolonging the conflict, undermining the UN Charter, and endangering European security.
Since the last briefing on this topic, we have new developments to share with the Council.
In late 2023, Iran and Russia signed a contract for the supply of hundreds of missiles Russia needs to carry out its aggression in Ukraine. This past summer, Iranian personnel trained Russian military personnel on the use of Iran’s Project 360 close-range ballistic missiles. This month, Russia received the first shipment of hundreds of these missiles from Iran. The missiles have a maximum range of 75 miles, and their deployment enables Russia to preserve its longer-range capabilities for use throughout Ukraine, deepening Russia’s arsenal, and giving Russia the ability to destroy more of Ukraine’s infrastructure ahead of Winter.
Iran’s transfer represents a dramatic escalation and a highly destabilizing development; one that is likely to increase the suffering of the Ukrainian people. This missile transfer is in addition to the thousands of UAVs Iran has sent to Russia since 2022, which Russian forces have used with devastating effect against Ukrainian civilians and civilian infrastructure. The partnership between Russia and Iran not only poses a threat to Ukraine and European security, it also directly enables Iran’s destabilizing activities in the Middle East and around the world.
In response to Iran’s ongoing military support to Russia, including the recent delivery of ballistic missiles for use against Ukraine, the U.S. Department of the Treasury is designating ten individuals and six entities based in Iran and Russia and identifying four vessels as blocked property that are enabling Iran’s delivery of weapons components and weapons systems, including the UAVs and missiles, to Russia.
Since the Kremlin launched its invasion of Ukraine, Russia has also imported dozens of ballistic missiles and more than 18,000 containers of munitions and munitions-related materiel from the DPRK, in violation of Security Council resolutions that Russia itself supported just a few years ago. Russia has cynically abandoned its support for the principles of nonproliferation and has used its position on the Security Council to attempt to shield the DPRK from UN scrutiny of its unlawful nuclear and ballistic missile development programs.
It is clear there is an urgent need to help Ukraine defend itself from missile strikes; attacks which undermine the principles of the UN Charter and threaten international peace and security, including, it seems, food security. Just yesterday, Russia hit a civilian wheat cargo vessel in the Black Sea, which was bound for Egypt.
Building an integrated air defense capability for Ukraine is a priority for us and others, and it is clear from these attacks that we cannot let up. We are going to work with Ukraine to ensure they have the capabilities needed to defend themselves against Russia’s missile and drone attacks.
Let me comment on our joint desire for peace. The fastest way towards peace is for Russia to withdraw its forces from Ukraine and for it to stop its aerial assault. Absent Russia’s desire for peace, the next quickest way towards peace is for the world to cut off Russia’s ability to sustain its illegal assault. This is where we need to have a real conversation about China’s role in this conflict.
China is prolonging Russia’s aggression through its so-called “no limits” partnership and its large-scale support for Russia’s defense industrial base, all of which enable Russia to continue waging war on Ukraine. China’s transfer of dual-use materials such as weapons components, equipment, and raw materials serve as inputs for Russia’s defense sector. These exports include nitrocellulose, machine tools, microelectronics, optics, UAV and cruise missile technology, which Russia is using to kill civilians and destroy Ukrainian infrastructure. How can China be for peace while it enables Russia’s war?
China is also helping Russia spread propaganda and disinformation about Ukraine by justifying the war through the pretext of “legitimate security concerns.” There is no legitimate excuse for what Russia is doing in Ukraine. None.
Then there is China’s six-point peace proposal for resolving what China calls the “Ukraine crisis,” which is not complementary to Ukraine’s peace formula and omits support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Does China intend to reward Russia for violating the UN Charter? China’s six-point plan would create a dangerous precedent. We are not here to reward violators of the UN Charter.
We call on China, as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, with a particular responsibility to uphold the UN Charter, to respect the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, and to cease all material and political support to Russia’s illegal war.
Colleagues, there is no justification for Russia’s attack on Ukraine. Ukraine has an inherent right to defend itself from aggression, as reflected in Article 51 of the UN Charter, and the United States will continue to support Ukraine’s ability to do so, and to ensure Russia is not rewarded for violating the UN Charter. We are not alone. We join the efforts of UN Member States from all geographical regions of the globe that stand with Ukraine’s democratically elected government. We will not back down.
Thank you, Madam President.