Russia requested this meeting to talk, yet again, about weapons
proliferation to Ukraine. So let's be clear about who is doing
what, and who is breaking international law and undermining the
UN Charter.
President, as we are all aware, Russia has repeatedly violated
resolutions of this Council by procuring weapons from North Korea
and Iran to use in Ukraine.
Russia has bought several dozen ballistic missiles and millions
of artillery shells from North Korea, which have been used in
attacks on population centres across Ukraine. Russia has procured
thousands of Iranian Shahed drones and has used them in a
campaign against Ukraine's electricity infrastructure, which is
intended to beat Ukraine into submission by depriving its
civilians of power and heat.
Of course, Russia tries to hide its behaviour by vetoing the UN
Panel of Experts, which has provided scrutiny of North Korea's
attempts to evade sanctions and advance its weapons programme. As
many of us said in the General Assembly yesterday, this veto
undermined the global non-proliferation architecture, as well as
this Security Council. Russia does not listen to this Council,
nor to the General Assembly. So instead, I urge North Korea to
stop supporting Russia's unprovoked, neo-imperial war of
aggression against another sovereign state.
President, Russia does not care about arms control. As well as
weapons from North Korea and Iran, it has used Kinzhal hypersonic
cruise missiles, dual-capable ballistic missiles, cluster
munitions, landmines, and countless more weapons from its
arsenal.
While Russia might be stripping kitchenware to make its missiles,
they nonetheless inflict suffering on civilians across Ukraine.
Over 40% of Ukraine's electricity infrastructure has been
destroyed, and the ICC has issued new indictments against Russian
military leaders for the campaign of strikes against numerous
electric power plants and substations in Ukraine.
President, what Russia wants is complete freedom to intimidate,
to coerce and to kill the people of Ukraine. We are talking here
about unchecked aggression.
This Council was created because the world learnt the lessons
from the first half of the 20th century; that countries cannot be
allowed to invade their neighbours and subjugate their people.
In that same spirit, global support is helping Ukraine defend
itself, by providing air defences to protect its cities and its
people, and weapons to fight back against the Russian army; an
army that has been responsible for summary executions, for
torture, for rape, and the atrocities committed two years ago in
Bucha.
President, any country that cares about the UN Charter, the
sovereignty of states and sanctity of human life should support
Ukraine.
The UK has given around $15 billion to date. The UK will remain
by Ukraine's side as it fights Russia's aggression. We will
continue to replenish Ukraine's air defences and provide the
weapons needed to defend its territory. We will do whatever it
takes, for as long as it takes, to ensure that Ukraine wins.
Of course, Russia could stop this war tomorrow if it withdrew its
forces from Ukrainian soil. Instead, it has begun another round
of conscription; rounding up its young people and sending them to
fight and die in a war of choice. Currently, around 1000 Russians
are being killed or wounded in Ukraine every day. Russia has
already suffered 350,000 casualties in Ukraine. This is a tragedy
for Russia too.
President, the Russian delegation has told us countless lies
about this war, but the truth is, today's meeting is perhaps a
new low. If I've heard correctly, we've heard today from Russia's
ambassador that Ukrainians are Nazis, acting under the cover of
the Islamic State, whilst simultaneously headed by a
democratically-elected Jewish president. Ambassador, that is
quite the combination and, quite frankly, it is preposterous.
Thank you, President.
