Виступ делегації України під час загальних дебатів Першого комітету ГА ООН

Mr. Chair,

On behalf of the delegation of Ukraine, allow me to congratulate you and other members of the Bureau on the election. I’m looking forward to a constructive and result orientated dialogue during this First Committee session. I assure you in Ukraine’s full support.

Ukraine consistently supports a multilateral approach to disarmament and international security agenda. We recognize the difficulties in the implementation of the existing international treaties and in bringing others into force.

We abandoned our nuclear capabilities and acceded to the Non-Proliferation Treaty as a non-nuclear state. Furthermore, we removed all our stocks of highly enriched uranium and refused to use this dangerous (dual use) material.

Regrettably, the credibility and efficiency of some of the key pillars of the NPT have been seriously undermined by the nuclear-weapon State. Ukraine’s accession to the NPT as a non-nuclear state was accompanied by receipt of security assurances stipulated by the Budapest Memorandum.

However, two decades after signing the Budapest Memorandum, one of the State-guarantors in accordance with the Budapest Memorandum, Russia occupied and attempted to annex the Crimean Peninsula as well as launched terrifying by its scale armed aggression in the Donbas region of Ukraine. Therefore, the “security assurances” provided by the nuclear-weapon state so far proved their inefficiency.

Despite the current challenges to the NPT regime, Ukraine continues to consider the Treaty as a pillar of international peace and security and essential basis for promotion of nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament.

We continue to believe that negotiating and concluding the Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty (FMCT) will be essential both to constrain nuclear proliferation and to advance the goal of nuclear disarmament. Ukraine appeals for finding common grounds on this issue.

The universalization of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) remains one of the key objectives of the multilateral efforts in the area of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation. Ukraine calls upon the States which have yet to sign or ratify the Treaty to do so without delay.

We acknowledge the importance of nuclear weapon free zones which should be established on the basis of arrangements among the States of the region concerned.

Mr.Chair,

Ukraine advocates strict adherence to the provisions of the key international instruments in this field, including the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction (CWC), Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction (BWC) and the 1925 Geneva Protocol.

In this regard, we condemn in the strongest possible terms the repeated use of the chemical weapons, including in Europe. A possible use of weapons of mass destruction, including by terrorists, is a clear and ever present danger to the whole humankind. We believe that the upcoming Comprehensive Review of implementation of resolution 1540 will significantly strengthen the all existing instruments and mechanisms to reduce this threat.

Mr.Chair,

Ukraine is committed to the prevention of an arms race in outer space and actively participates in the deliberations on the strengthening of the international legal regime governing the use of outer space.

However, we still believe that the existing legal regime, including transparency and confidence-building measures, should be developed further to adequately address the challenges arising from ongoing militarization of space.

We are concerned with recent Russia’s tests of anti-satellite missiles, which are capable of targeting objects at low orbit. Such actions pose a serious threat to the peaceful uses of outer space. It is especially outrageous that the State, which does not comply with every single arms control regime, seeks to play a leading role in the adoption of a legally-binding instrument in the field of prevention of an arms race in outer space.

Ukraine supports and will co-sponsor the draft resolution presented by the United Kingdom in the First Committee entitled «Reducing Space Threats Through Responsible Behaviours», which is aimed at bringing together views of Member States on how to proceed on the track of reaching responsible behaviour in outer space.

Mr. Chair,

Ukraine fully shares concerns of the international community that the illicit transfer, accumulation and misuse of conventional arms and their ammunition, in particular small arms and light weapons, poses serious threat to security and stability in the world.

The Russian Federation continues its massive illicit transfers of military goods to our territory thus deliberately destabilizing not only sub-regional but the entire European security and totally ignoring persistent calls of the international community to establish the effective border control. Among other things, such illegal transfers are a great challenge for proper implementation of the Programme of Actions on SALW which serves as the only universal international tool to address the illicit trade in SALW.

We recognize the important role of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (CCW) in addressing post-conflict measures in order to minimize the occurrence, risk and effects of Explosive Remnants of War (ERW).

Being a State Party to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Production, Stockpiling and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Landmines and on their Destruction (Mine Ban Treaty) Ukraine acknowledges its fundamental character in minimizing the occurrence, risk and effects of landmines.

Again, as a result of the armed aggression of Russia and offensive actions carried out by the Russia-guided illegal armed groups operating in the certain areas of Donetsk and Lugansk regions of Ukraine, nowadays our country has to deal with a drastically increased number of dangerous ERW, causing severe casualties among civilians, including children.

Mr. Chair,

Today, we continue to witness the large-scale militarization by Russia of Crimea, which includes destabilizing transfers of weapon systems, aircraft and missiles, weapons, ammunition and military personnel.

Russia is also continuing to conduct multiple military exercises in and around Crimea, which reflect its aggressive policy towards Ukraine and other Black Sea littoral states.

What is more alarming is that we continue to receive the worrying reports that air and maritime means of delivery of nuclear weapons have been moved from Russia to Crimea. Moreover, Russia has also brought into an active engagement the relevant nuclear infrastructure.

If we fail to address challenges posed by Russia now, they could have far-reaching implications for security not only in the Black Sea area, but broader region.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.