Statement by the Delegation of Ukraine at the open consultations on the Comprehensive Review of the implementation of UNSC resolution 1540 (2004)

Mr Chairman,

At the outset, I wish to congratulate you for convening these open consultations, as well as for your efforts aimed at reinforcing UNSC resolution 1540.

Ukraine, as a state with a nuclear-weapon-past and a full-fledged Party to the NPT, CWC and BWC, is strongly committed to implementation of the resolution 1540 and spares no effort to prevent non-state actors from acquiring materials and technologies that could be used as a weapon of mass destruction.

Since its adoption 18 years ago, UNSC resolution 1540 has played an important role in strengthening global and regional non-proliferation efforts.

At the same time, despite the measures taken by the Member States to prevent proliferation risks, we are witnessing growing and more complicated threats in this area.

As of today, Ukraine faces significant challenges in the implementation of resolution 1540. Russia's unprovoked war against Ukraine in fact makes it impossible to comply with the provisions of this document and creates the risk of proliferation on the temporarily occupied territories.

The seizure of the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant by the Russian armed forces, the shelling of Ukrainian nuclear facilities and obstruction of IAEA verification activities are gross violations of both resolution 1540 (2004) and the NPT.

Moreover, the seizure by the Russian Federation of nuclear power plants of Ukraine and the use of them and territories around them for military purposes pose a real threat to international peace and security due to the possibility of a nuclear incident, which means that Russia has become a state openly engaged in nuclear terrorism.

The continuous shelling of Ukrainian peaceful nuclear, chemical and other facilities by the Russian forces poses a real threat to the integrity and physical protection of sensitive materials.

On the other hand, Russia's baseless narratives concerning alleged development of programs related to weapons of mass destruction in Ukraine, including experiments with biological agents, are intended primarily to divert the attention of the world community from Russia's atrocities and hostile actions in Ukraine, which blatantly violate the UN Charter, international humanitarian law, as well as the provisions of resolution 1540, to name a few.

In this respect, it has also become common practice for Russia, since the beginning of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, to spread in the OPCW and the UN fake information about Ukraine’s alleged preparation of the use of toxic chemicals against its own population, about preparation of shelling and explosions of chemical tanks in Ukraine, just to accuse the Russian armed forces of these crimes.

In this regard, it should be noted that the Russian armed forces are committing so many crimes on our territory against the people of Ukraine that there is no need to specifically look for excuses for additional accusations against Moscow.

Mr Chairman,

In accordance with its obligations under resolution 1540, Ukraine submitted several national reports to the 1540 Secretariat.

Ukrainian ministries and other executive bodies responsible for implementing the resolution have developed a draft National Strategy to Prevent the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction and Their Use by Non-State Actors. The draft Strategy covers all the key elements of UNSCR 1540 (2004) and it is aimed at the effective coordination of the national institutions involved in its implementation and updating of relevant legislation in line with current challenges and threats.

At the same time, Ukraine will be able to fully implement this National Strategy only after the de-occupation of the territories of Ukraine temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation.

Thankyou.